Also 6 -our, 6–7 -er. [a. L. contractor, n. of action from contrahĕre to CONTRACT.]
† 1. One who enters into a contract or agreement; a contracting party. Obs. exc. as in 2.
1548. Hall, Chron., 212. Although the Princes be named, as chief contractors in everie treatie and amitie concluded.
1570. Act 13 Eliz., c. 8 § 5. Whereupon is not reserved … to the Lender, Contracter … or Deliverer, above the Sum of ten Pound for the Loan.
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., vii. 334. These contractors with heaven.
1748. Anson, Voy., III. ix. 392. Nor did it appear, that the Contractors had taken the least step to comply with their agreement.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 380. That the deed be taken most strongly against him that is the agent or contractor, and in favour of the other party.
† b. Party contractor: contracting party. Obs.
1644. Bp. Maxwell, Prerog. Chr. Kings, ix. 102. The resileing of one partie contractor is not sufficient to void the contract.
1671. True Nonconf., 208. The party contracter doth expressly thereby engage for himself and his posterity.
2. spec. One who contracts or undertakes to supply certain articles, or to perform any work or service (esp. for government or other public body), at a certain price or rate; in the building and related trades, one who is prepared to undertake work by contract.
1724. Lond. Gaz., No. 6290/3. The Contractor to begin to Work … 70 Yards Distance from the Shoar.
1765. Ann. Reg., 136. Mr. Cole was employed under Mr. Warrington, the contractor for artillery horses.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 65. Immense sums of money have been lavished upon them [Irish canals] to very little purpose, except the enriching of contractors.
1869. E. A. Parkes, Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3), 184. The meat is supplied by contractors.
Mod. Messrs. — & and Co., Builders and Contractors.
3. One who or that which contracts, narrows, or shortens; used esp. of muscles which contract or draw in some part of the body.
1682. T. Gibson, Anat. (1697), 515. I place the internal intercostals among the contracters of the breast.
1877. E. R. Conder, Bas. Faith, iv. 161. The extensor and contractor muscles of the same limb.
† b. Something that restricts or narrows. Obs.
1628. Earle, Microcosm., xxi. 46. Friendship is … a contracter and taker up of our affections to some few.
1796. Mrs. E. Parsons, Myst. Warning, I. 50. What a contractor of the heart is wealth!
