contriv

n. 1. The act or faculty of contriving, inventing, devising, or planning. [ 1913 Webster ]

The machine which we are inspecting demonstrates, by its construction, contrivance and design. Contrivance must have had a contriver. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The thing contrived, invented, or planned; disposition of parts or causes by design; a scheme; plan; artifice; arrangement. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 of ingenuity; to devise; to invent; to design; to plan. [ 1913 Webster ]

What more likely to contrive this admirable frame of the universe than infinite wisdom. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

neither do thou imagine that I shall contrive aught against his life. Hawthorne.

Syn. -- To invent; discover; plan; design; project; plot; concert; hatch. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

n. Contrivance; invention; arrangement; design; plan. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Consider the admirable contrivement and artifice of this great fabric. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

Active to meet their contrivements. Sir G. Buck. [ 1913 Webster ]