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contrive Definition

con·trive (kən trīv′)

transitive verb contrived -·trived′, contriving -·triv′·ing

  1. to think up; devise; scheme; plan to contrive a way to help
  2. to construct skillfully or ingeniously; fabricate
  3. to bring about, as by a scheme; manage he contrived to get in
  4. to scheme for evil purposes

Etymology: ME contreven < OFr controver, to find out, contrive, imagine < VL contropare, to compare < com, com- + tropus, trope

intransitive verb

to form plans; scheme

Related Forms:

contrive Synonyms

contrive

v.

  1. To invent

    make, improvise, devise, think up; see create 2, invent 1, plan 1.

  2. To succeed with difficulty

    manage, pass, compass, negotiate, afford, engineer, manipulate, shift, make shift, get by, arrange, execute, carry out, effect, bring about, maneuver, swing*, wrangle*; see also achieve 1, succeed 1.

contrive Usage Examples

Object

  • way: So Para Handy was left to contrive ways of keeping his beloved ship afloat and his way of life intact.
  • plan: He doesn't preach or contrive some great plan to his success, his secret was simple.
  • system: What you should never do is to contrive a system of races to bring about the result you want.
  • machine: Babbage distinguishes sharply between the ability to contrive new machines and the ability to manufacture them.
  • situation: Thus Austen has to contrive a situation in which Elizabeth declines Darcy's first proposal, thereby demonstrating her indifference to wealth.

Infinitive complement

  • miss: Woods, dressed in what looks like a Holland football shirt, then contrives to miss the return, which Faldo does not.
  • keep: How passengers contrive to keep their teeth in place is uncertain.
  • make: It suits you to contrive to make adults lose their tempers - that puts you in control.
  • look: It contrives to look faintly incongruous; a column in white concrete sitting atop an outcrop of black sandstone.
  • get: How then did Stalin contrive to get power in the bargain?
  • give: Gloucester still contrive to give soft tries Only Premiership leaders Bath have a better defensive record in the league.

Modifying Another Word

  • somehow: Elslack Moor somehow contrives to look much bigger than it actually is.
  • so: It is a splendid idea, that we must so contrive it that it may not seem to be a concerted plan.
  • not: Platt, also struggling with things his mind could not contrive to reconcile, said " that confounded hypocrite.
  • all: Moisture, dust and debris will all contrive to ruin your work and probably the engine.
  • subtly: Forestall your opponent by seizing what he holds dear, and subtly contrive to time his arrival on the ground.
  • still: Gloucester still contrive to give soft tries Only Premiership leaders Bath have a better defensive record in the league.