Dictionary

contrive en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /kənˈtɹaɪv/
• audio

Etymology

From Middle English contreve (“to invent”), from Old French controver (Modern French controuver), from trover (“to find”) (French trouver).

Meanings

1. To invent by an exercise of ingeniosity; to devise
   • […]I cannot bear the idea of two young women traveling post by themselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to send somebody. 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:
   • With a little manœuvring they contrived to meet on the doorstep which was […] in a boiling stream of passers-by, hurrying business people speeding past in a flurry of fumes and dust in the bright haze. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 10, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
   • Neither do thou imagine that I shall contrive aught against his life. 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter:
2. To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation.
3. To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light.
4. (obsolete, transitive) To spend (time, or a period).

Forms

Deriveds

contrivement · contrived · recontrive · precontrive · contrivable · contriver · contrivance · uncontriving

Synonyms

hatch · cast about · becast · get · scheme · plot · plan

Translations (46)

de ersinnen (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · es discurrir (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · it escogitare (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · cs sestrojit (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · cs vynalézt (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · tr akıl etmek (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · it programmare (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · es idear (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · tr yolunu bulmak (To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light) · nl ontwerpen (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · fi heittää (To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light) · it inventare (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · es urdir (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · grc μήδομαι (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · it combinare (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · tr tasarlamak (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · fi improvisoida (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · ca idear (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · nl plannen (To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light) · bg изобретявам (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · grc ἐπιβολεύω (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · tr icat etmek (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · sv tänka ut (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · fi keksiä (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · fr inventer (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · ro inventa (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · es maquinar (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · sq thur (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · ru изобрета́ть (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · cs vymyslet (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · grc ἐκπορίζω (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · fr combiner (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · ota پرگارلامق (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · it mettere su (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · it architettare (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · nl beramen (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · de entwerfen (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · de bewerkstelligen (To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light) · ro improviza (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · it intrigare (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · es complotar (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · it complottare (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · bg замислям (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · fi suunnitella (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot) · grc μηχανάομαι (To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation) · ru замышлять (To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to plan; to scheme; to plot)