contrive

(kəntraɪv)

Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense contrives, present participle contriving, past tense, past participle contrived

1. verb

If you contrive an event or situation, you succeed in making it happen, often by tricking someone.

[formal]

The oil companies were accused of contriving a shortage of gasoline to justify priceincreases. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: devise, plan, fabricate, create More Synonyms of contrive

2. verb

If you contrive something such as a device or piece of equipment, you invent and construct it in a clever or unusual way.

We therefore had to contrive a very large black-out curtain. [VERB noun]

3. verb

If you contrive to do something difficult, you succeed in doing it.

[formal]

The orchestra contrived to produce some of its best playing for years. [VERB to-infinitive]

4. verb

When someone has done something dishonestly, you can say that they have contrived to do it.

[disapproval]

They somehow contrived to lose tens of thousands of applications. [VERB to-infinitive]

More Synonyms of contrive

contrive in British English

(kənˈtraɪv)

verb

1. (transitive)

to manage (something or to do something), esp by means of a trick; engineer

he contrived to make them meet

2. (transitive)

to think up or adapt ingeniously or elaborately

he contrived a new mast for the boat

to plot or scheme (treachery, evil, etc)

Derived forms

contrivable (conˈtrivable)

adjective

contriver (conˈtriver)

noun

Word origin

C14: from Old French controver, from Late Latin contropāre to represent by figures of speech, compare, from Latin com- together + tropus figure of speech, trope

contrive in American English

(kənˈtraɪv)

verb transitiveWord forms: conˈtrived or conˈtriving

to think up; devise; scheme; plan

to contrive a way to help

to construct skillfully or ingeniously; fabricate

to bring about, as by a scheme; manage

he contrived to get in

to scheme for evil purposes

verb intransitive

to form plans; scheme

Derived forms

contrivable (conˈtrivable)

adjective

contriver (conˈtriver)

noun

Word origin

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

Examples of 'contrive' in a sentence
contrive

Their cheerful group did contrive to make my war seem rather pointless.

In other languages
contrive

British English: contrive VERB

If you contrive an event or situation, you succeed in making it happen, often by tricking someone.

The oil companies were accused of contriving a shortage of petrol to justify price increases.

American English: contrive
Brazilian Portuguese: tramar
Chinese: 策划常指用欺骗手段
European Spanish: idear
French: inventer
German: arrangieren
Italian: orchestrare
Japanese: 企てる
Korean: 획책하다
European Portuguese: forjar
Latin American Spanish: idear

1 (verb) in the sense of devise

Definition

to devise or construct ingeniously

The oil companies were accused of contriving a shortage of gasoline to justify price increases.

Synonyms

devise

We devised a scheme to help him.

plan

I had been planning a trip to the West Coast.

fabricate

All four claim that the evidence against them is fabricated.

create

He's creating a whole new language of painting.

design

We may be able to design a course to suit your particular needs.

scheme

engineer

a short-lived coup engineered by the army

frame

A convention was set up to frame a constitution.

manufacture

He said the allegations were manufactured on the flimsiest evidence.

plot

a meeting to plot the survival strategy of the party

construct

The boxes should be constructed from rough-sawn timber.

invent

He invented the first electric clock.

improvise

If you don't have a wok, improvise one.

concoct

He said the prisoner had concocted the story to get a lighter sentence.

wangle (informal)

She managed to wangle a free ticket for me.

effect

Prospects for effecting real political change have taken a step backward.

bring about

hit upon

2 (verb) in the sense of manage

Somehow he contrived to pass her a note without the teacher seeing it.

Synonyms

manage

those who can only manage a few hours of work

succeed

arrange

She arranged an appointment for Friday afternoon.

manoeuvre

You manoeuvred things in similar situations in the past.

Additional synonyms

in the sense of arrange

Definition

to plan in advance

She arranged an appointment for Friday afternoon.

Synonyms

plan,

agree,

prepare,

determine,

schedule,

organize,

construct,

devise,

contrive,

fix up,

jack up (New Zealand, informal)

in the sense of concoct

Definition

to invent or make up (a story or plan)

He said the prisoner had concocted the story to get a lighter sentence.

Synonyms

make up,

design,

prepare,

manufacture,

plot,

invent,

devise,

brew,

hatch,

formulate,

contrive,

fabricate,

think up,

cook up (informal),

trump up,

project

in the sense of construct

Definition

to build or put together

The boxes should be constructed from rough-sawn timber.

Synonyms

build,

make,

form,

create,

design,

raise,

establish,

set up,

fashion,

shape,

engineer,

frame,

manufacture,

put up,

assemble,

put together,

erect,

fabricate

Synonyms of 'contrive'

contrive

Explore 'contrive' in the dictionary

单词	contrive
释义	contrive (kəntraɪv) Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense contrives, present participle contriving, past tense, past participle contrived 1. verb If you contrive an event or situation, you succeed in making it happen, often by tricking someone. [formal] The oil companies were accused of contriving a shortage of gasoline to justify priceincreases. [VERB noun] Synonyms: devise, plan, fabricate, create More Synonyms of contrive 2. verb If you contrive something such as a device or piece of equipment, you invent and construct it in a clever or unusual way. We therefore had to contrive a very large black-out curtain. [VERB noun] 3. verb If you contrive to do something difficult, you succeed in doing it. [formal] The orchestra contrived to produce some of its best playing for years. [VERB to-infinitive] 4. verb When someone has done something dishonestly, you can say that they have contrived to do it. [disapproval] They somehow contrived to lose tens of thousands of applications. [VERB to-infinitive] More Synonyms of contrive contrive in British English (kənˈtraɪv) verb 1. (transitive) to manage (something or to do something), esp by means of a trick; engineer he contrived to make them meet 2. (transitive) to think up or adapt ingeniously or elaborately he contrived a new mast for the boat 3. to plot or scheme (treachery, evil, etc) Derived forms contrivable (conˈtrivable) adjective contriver (conˈtriver) noun Word origin C14: from Old French controver, from Late Latin contropāre to represent by figures of speech, compare, from Latin com- together + tropus figure of speech, trope contrive in American English (kənˈtraɪv) verb transitiveWord forms: conˈtrived or conˈtriving 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 verb intransitive 5. to form plans; scheme Derived forms contrivable (conˈtrivable) adjective contriver (conˈtriver) noun Word origin ME contreven < OFr controver, to find out, contrive, imagine < VL contropare, to compare < com, com- + tropus, trope Examples of 'contrive' in a sentence contrive Their cheerful group did contrive to make my war seem rather pointless. Alan Whicker Whicker's War In other languages contrive British English: contrive VERB If you contrive an event or situation, you succeed in making it happen, often by tricking someone. The oil companies were accused of contriving a shortage of petrol to justify price increases. American English: contrive Brazilian Portuguese: tramar Chinese: 策划常指用欺骗手段 European Spanish: idear French: inventer German: arrangieren Italian: orchestrare Japanese: 企てる Korean: 획책하다 European Portuguese: forjar Latin American Spanish: idear 1 (verb) in the sense of devise Definition to devise or construct ingeniously The oil companies were accused of contriving a shortage of gasoline to justify price increases. Synonyms devise We devised a scheme to help him. plan I had been planning a trip to the West Coast. fabricate All four claim that the evidence against them is fabricated. create He's creating a whole new language of painting. design We may be able to design a course to suit your particular needs. scheme engineer a short-lived coup engineered by the army frame A convention was set up to frame a constitution. manufacture He said the allegations were manufactured on the flimsiest evidence. plot a meeting to plot the survival strategy of the party construct The boxes should be constructed from rough-sawn timber. invent He invented the first electric clock. improvise If you don't have a wok, improvise one. concoct He said the prisoner had concocted the story to get a lighter sentence. wangle (informal) She managed to wangle a free ticket for me. effect Prospects for effecting real political change have taken a step backward. bring about hit upon 2 (verb) in the sense of manage Somehow he contrived to pass her a note without the teacher seeing it. Synonyms manage those who can only manage a few hours of work succeed arrange She arranged an appointment for Friday afternoon. manoeuvre You manoeuvred things in similar situations in the past. Additional synonyms in the sense of arrange Definition to plan in advance She arranged an appointment for Friday afternoon. Synonyms plan, agree, prepare, determine, schedule, organize, construct, devise, contrive, fix up, jack up (New Zealand, informal) in the sense of concoct Definition to invent or make up (a story or plan) He said the prisoner had concocted the story to get a lighter sentence. Synonyms make up, design, prepare, manufacture, plot, invent, devise, brew, hatch, formulate, contrive, fabricate, think up, cook up (informal), trump up, project in the sense of construct Definition to build or put together The boxes should be constructed from rough-sawn timber. Synonyms build, make, form, create, design, raise, establish, set up, fashion, shape, engineer, frame, manufacture, put up, assemble, put together, erect, fabricate Synonyms of 'contrive' contrive Explore 'contrive' in the dictionary
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contrive

contrive in British English

contrive in American English

Examples of 'contrive' in a sentencecontrive

In other languagescontrive

Additional synonyms

Synonyms of 'contrive'

contrive

Examples of 'contrive' in a sentence
contrive

In other languages
contrive