Definitions for: Contrivance


[n] the act of devising something
[n] a device that very useful for a particular job
[n] any improvised arrangement for temporary use
[n] the faculty of contriving; inventive skill; "his skillful contrivance of answers to every problem"
[n] an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc.; "the plot contained too many improbable contrivances to be believable"
[n] an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade; "his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track"



Webster (1913) Definition: Con*triv"ance, n.
1. The act or faculty of contriving, inventing, devising, or
planning.

The machine which we are inspecting demonstrates, by
its construction, contrivance and design.
Contrivance must have had a contriver. --Paley.

2. The thing contrived, invented, or planned; disposition of
parts or causes by design; a scheme; plan; atrifice;
arrangement.

Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to
provide for human wants. --Burke.

Syn: Device; plan; scheme; invention; machine; project;
design; artifice; shift. See Device.

Synonyms: appliance, contraption, convenience, devisal, dodge, gadget, gismo, gizmo, lash-up, stratagem, widget

See Also: arrangement, arrangement, conception, design, device, excogitation, gadgetry, gimbals, injector, innovation, invention, invention, mod con, organisation, organization, patch, plant, scheme, strategy, system, temporary hookup, wangle, wangling

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