contrive

To contrive is to scheme and cause something to happen or to plan and invent something.

(verb)

An example of contrive is when you begin campaigning to get people to do things your way and produce a desired result.

See contrive in Webster's New World College Dictionary

Origin: 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:

See contrive in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb con·trived, con·triv·ing, con·trives

verb, transitive

To plan with cleverness or ingenuity; devise: contrive ways to amuse the children.
To invent or fabricate, especially by improvisation: contrived a swing from hanging vines.
To plan with evil intent; scheme: contrived a plot to seize power.
To bring about, as by scheming; manage: somehow contrived to get past the guards unnoticed.

verb, intransitive

To form plans or schemes.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English contreven

Origin: , from Old French controver, contreuv-

Origin: , from Medieval Latin contropāre, to compare

Origin: : Latin com-, com-

Origin: + Latin tropus, turn, manner, style (from Greek tropos; see trep- in Indo-European roots)

Related Forms: