contrive — contrive, devise, invent, frame, concoct mean to find a way of making or doing something or of achieving an end by the exercise of one s mind. Contrive implies ingenuity or cleverness in planning, designing, or in scheming; it is a matter of… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Contrive — are a heavy metal band[1] from Melbourne, Australia formed in 1999. Their musical style has been compared to that of Sepultura.[2] The band consists of bassist Tim Stahlmann and twin brothers Paul Haug (vocals, guitars) and Andrew Haug… … Wikipedia
Contrive — Con*trive (k[o^]n*tr[imac]v ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Contrived}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Contriving}.] [OE. contriven, contreven, controven, to invent, OF. controver, contruver; con + trouver to find. See {Troubadour}, {trover}.] To form by an exercise… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
contrive — [kən trīv′] vt. contrived, contriving [ME contreven < OFr controver, to find out, contrive, imagine < VL contropare, to compare < com, COM + tropus, TROPE] 1. to think up; devise; scheme; plan [to contrive a way to help] 2. to construct… … English World dictionary
Contrive — Con*trive , v. i. To make devices; to form designs; to plan; to scheme; to plot. [1913 Webster] The Fates with traitors do contrive. Shak. [1913 Webster] Thou hast contrived against th very life Of the defendant. Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
contrive — I verb arrange, cause, collude, compose, conceive, concoct, connive, consider, conspire, counterplot, design, develop a course, devise, draft, effect, excogitare, fabricate, fashion, forecast, form, frame, imagine, improvise, induce, intrigue,… … Law dictionary
contrive — early 14c., from O.Fr. controver (Mod.Fr. controuver) to find out, contrive, imagine, from L.L. contropare to compare (via a figure of speech), from L. com with (see COM (Cf. com )) + tropus song, musical mode, from Gk. tropos figure of speech… … Etymology dictionary
contrive — [v1] invent, design come up with, concoct, construct, cook up, create, devise, dream up*, engineer, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, formulate, frame*, handle, hatch, improvise, make, make up*, manipulate, manufacture, move, plan, plot, project,… … New thesaurus
contrive — ► VERB 1) devise or plan using skill and artifice. 2) manage to do something foolish. DERIVATIVES contrivable adjective contriver noun. ORIGIN Old French controver imagine, invent , from Latin contropare compare … English terms dictionary
contrive — UK [kənˈtraɪv] / US verb Word forms contrive : present tense I/you/we/they contrive he/she/it contrives present participle contriving past tense contrived past participle contrived formal 1) a) [transitive] to make something happen, especially by … English dictionary
