Synonyms:
contraction, muscular_contraction, muscle_contraction
Meaning: (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)
Usage examples
"The ruler of the Moon is a woman called Luar, which seems a contraction of Lunar!"
Then she lifted it again and looked at me with a sudden contraction of her level brows that betokened vexation.
Contraction of the earth as it goes on cooling would act in the opposite direction, and probably more than counterbalance the dust effect.
When I lifted my head I perceived the gradual contraction of its aperture. Its walls, by a gentle incline, were drawing closer to each other, and it was beginning to grow darker.
All the phenomena of dilatation and contraction were nearly the same, when, instead of common air, I used nitrous air, fixed air, inflammable air, or any species of phlogisticated common air.
To be conscious of an effort would then be nothing else than to receive all these centripetal sensations; and what proves this is, that the consciousness of effort when most clearly manifested is accompanied by some muscular energy, some strong contraction, or some respiratory trouble, and yields if we render the respiration again regular and put the muscles back into repose.