Contracting

To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen.

"The snail's body contracted into its shell."

(grammar) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.

"The word "cannot" is often contracted into "can't"."

To enter into a contract with.

To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.

The act of something that contracts or shrinks; contraction.

"the contractings of his muscles"

Work done on a contract basis.

Getting smaller; drawing itself together into a smaller area.