Meaning ofcontractionsin English

Noun

1. omitted letters replaced with an apostrophe
2. sound reduction in word formation; attached to adjacent words
3. painful uterine tightening (during childbirth)
4. muscle shortening; physical tightening
5. disease acquisition process
6. economic decline; negative growth
7. symbol for omitted text (breve, etc.)
8. loss of internal word sounds
9. a wound healing stage (edges merging)
10. shortened forms of words; abbreviations