a. [ L. contabescenc, p. pr. of contabescere. ] Wasting away gradually. Darwin.

-- Con*ta*bes"cence n. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. contactus, fr. contingere, -tactum, to touch on all sides. See Contingent. ] 1. A close union or junction of bodies; a touching or meeting. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geom.) The property of two curves, or surfaces, which meet, and at the point of meeting have a common direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mining) The plane between two adjacent bodies of dissimilar rock. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Electricity) A metallic conducting component of an electrical device connected to a circuit within and so situated that it may form a conducting pathway to an external power source or device when contacted by another conductor; as, the contact on a standard light bulb has the shape of a screw for easy insertion into the socket. [ PJC ]

5. A person who serves to commmunicate information to or from one group to another, whether formally or informally; as, a good Washington reporter has contacts in the White House. [ PJC ]

Contact level, a delicate level so pivoted as to tilt when two parts of a measuring apparatus come into contact with each other; -- used in precise determinations of lengths and in the accurate graduation of instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the act of touching physically.
Syn. -- contact. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Act of touching. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an Italian farmer. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. contagio: cf. F. contagion. See Contact. ] 1. (Med.) The transmission of a disease from one person to another, by direct or indirect contact. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The term has been applied by some to the action of miasmata arising from dead animal or vegetable matter, bogs, fens, etc., but in this sense it is now abandoned. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

And will he steal out of his wholesome bed
To dare the vile contagion of the night? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which serves as a medium or agency to transmit disease; a virus produced by, or exhalation proceeding from, a diseased person, and capable of reproducing the disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act or means of communicating any influence to the mind or heart; as, the contagion of enthusiasm. “The contagion of example.” Eikon Basilike. [ 1913 Webster ]

When lust . . .
Lets in defilement to the inward parts,
The soul grows clotted by contagion. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Venom; poison. [ Obs. ] “I'll touch my point with this contagion.” Shak.

Syn. -- See Infection. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Affected by contagion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who believes in the contagious character of certain diseases, as of yellow fever. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. contagiosus: cf. F. contagieux. ] 1. (Med.) Communicable by contact, by a virus, or by a bodily exhalation; catching; as, a contagious disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Conveying or generating disease; pestilential; poisonous; as, contagious air. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Spreading or communicable from one to another; exciting similar emotions or conduct in others. [ 1913 Webster ]

His genius rendered his courage more contagious. Wirt. [ 1913 Webster ]

The spirit of imitation is contagious. Ames.

Syn. -- Contagious, Infectious. Although often used as synonyms, originally these words were used in very diverse senses; but, in general, a contagious disease has been considered as one which is caught from another by some near contact, by the breath, by bodily effluvia, etc.; while an infectious disease supposed some entirely different cause acting by a hidden influence, like the miasma of prison ships, of marshes, etc., infecting the system with disease. In either case, a pathogenic microorganism is the direct cause of the disease. This distinction, though not universally admitted by medical men, as to the literal meaning of the words, certainly applies to them in their figurative use. Thus we speak of the contagious influence of evil associates; their contagion of bad example, the contagion of fear, etc., when we refer to transmission by proximity or contact. On the other hand, we speak of infection by bad principles, etc., when we consider anything as diffused by some hidden influence. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

. (Med.) A disease communicable by contact with a patient suffering from it, or with some secretion of, or object touched by, such a patient. Most such diseases have already been proved to be germ diseases, and their communicability depends on the transmission of the living germs. Many germ diseases are not contagious, some special method of transmission or inoculation of the germs being required. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]