Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of devising or inventing something: The process of creating or planning something with skill and ingenuity.
   • An improvised or clever device or arrangement: A mechanical device or a clever, often makeshift, solution created for a specific purpose.
   • An artificial or obviously planned arrangement: Something that appears forced, unnatural, or overly complex in its design or plot.
   • A clever scheme or plot, often deceptive: A plan or trick, sometimes elaborate and deceitful, designed to achieve a specific end.
   • The skill or faculty of inventing and planning: The innate ability to devise clever solutions or plans.
   • A useful device or control: A tool or mechanism that is particularly helpful for a specific job.

Usage Examples

• As a device or invention:
  • The engineer demonstrated his latest contrivance for filtering water.
  • The novel described a strange contrivance made of gears and levers.
• As an artificial plot element:
  • The movie's resolution relied on an unbelievable contrivance.
  • Critics panned the play for its heavy use of narrative contrivance.
• As a clever or deceitful scheme:
  • His alibi was a transparent contrivance to avoid suspicion.
  • The whole event was a contrivance to get everyone in the same room.
• Referring to the skill of contriving:
  • She escaped the trap through sheer contrivance and quick thinking.

Advanced Usage

• "A mere contrivance": Used to dismiss something as an obvious, artificial, or unconvincing invention or trick.
  • The peace treaty was seen by many as a mere contrivance to end the public protests.
• "Mechanical contrivance": Specifically refers to a machine or device, often of a clever or intricate nature.
  • The clock was a beautiful mechanical contrivance from the 18th century.

Variants and Related Words

• Contrive (verb): To plan, invent, or bring about through skill and scheming.
  • He managed to contrive a meeting between the two rivals.
• Contrived (adjective): Deliberately created rather than arising naturally; seeming forced or artificial.
  • The dialogue in the film felt contrived and unnatural.
• Contriver (noun): A person who contrives; an inventor or schemer.

Synonyms

• Device: An object or piece of equipment made for a particular purpose.
• Gadget: A small mechanical or electronic device or tool.
• Scheme: A large-scale systematic plan or arrangement, often secretive or deceitful.
• Stratagem: A clever scheme or trick used to outwit an opponent.
• Expedient: A means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but possibly improper.

Related Phrases

• Plot contrivance: A narrative term for an unlikely or overly convenient event that advances the plot in an artificial way.
  • The sudden storm was a plot contrivance to strand the characters on the island.

Idioms

• A contrivance of the mind: Something invented or imagined; not based in reality.
  • His fears were largely a contrivance of his own mind, with no basis in fact.

Noun

1. the act of devising something
2. any improvised arrangement for temporary use
3. an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc.
   • the plot contained too many improbable contrivances to be believable
4. an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade
   • his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track
5. the faculty of contriving; inventive skill
   • his skillful contrivance of answers to every problem
6. a device or control that is very useful for a particular job