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