contraction
/kənˈtrækʃn; kən`trækʃən/ n
1 [U] contracting or being contracted 缩小; 缩短; 紧缩; 收缩
the contraction of a muscle 肌肉的收缩.
2 [C] (medical 医) tightening of the womb that occurs at intervals in the hours preceding childbirth （分娩时阵发性的）子宫收缩.
3 [C] shortened form at a word 词的缩约形式; 缩约词
`Can't' is a contraction of `cannot'. can't是cannot的缩约形式.