contraction
US /kənˈtræk.ʃən/
UK /kənˈtræk.ʃən/
1.
收縮, 縮小
the process of becoming smaller
:
•
The contraction of the muscles caused the arm to bend.
肌肉的收縮導致手臂彎曲。
•
Economic contraction is a period of economic decline.
經濟收縮是經濟衰退的時期。
2.
縮寫, 縮略語
a shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced by an apostrophe
:
•
‘Don’t’ is a contraction of ‘do not’.
“Don’t”是“do not”的縮寫。
•
Many English speakers use contractions in informal speech.
許多英語使用者在非正式講話中使用縮寫。