elasticyoudaoicibaDictYouDict
elastic: [17] Greek elaúnein meant ‘drive’. From it was derived the late Greek adjective elastikós, which had the sense ‘driving, propelling’. Its Latin version elasticus was used by the French scientist Jean Pecquet (1622–74) in describing the expansive properties of gases, and that is the sense in which it was originally adopted into English. Its transference to the wider meaning ‘returning to a former state after contracting’ took place towards the end of the 17th century.
contract (v.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
late 14c., "make narrow, draw together;" early 15c. "make an agreement;" from Middle French contracter, from Latin contractus, past participle of contrahere "to draw together, combine, make an agreement" (see contract (n.)). Related: Contracted; contracting.
peristaltic (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
1650s, from Modern Latin, from Greek peristaltikos (Galen), literally "contracting around," from peri (see peri-) "around, about" + stalsis "checking, constriction," related to stellein "draw in, bring together; set in order" (see diastole).
subcontract (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
also sub-contract, "contract for carrying out all or part of a previous contract," 1817, from sub- + contract (n.). As a verb from 1828 (in Shakespeare it means "be betrothed again"). Related: Subcontracted; subcontracting.
systaltic (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
"alternately contracting and dilating," 1670s, from Late Latin systalticus, from Greek systaltikos "drawing together," from stem of systellein, related to systole (see systole).