contractio
τὸν αὐτὸν ἔρανον ἀποδοῦναι → pay him back in his own coin, repay him in his own coin, pay someone back in their own coin, pay back in someone's own coin, give tit for tat, pay back in kind
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
contractĭo: ōnis, f. contraho,
I a drawing together, contraction (in good prose; most freq. in Cic.).
I Lit.: contractio et porrectio digitorum, Cic. N. D. 2, 60, 150: bracchii (opp. projectio), id. Or. 18, 59: superciliorum (opp. remissio), id. Off. 1, 41, 146: frontis, id. Sest. 8, 19: umerorum (opp. allevatio), Quint. 11, 3, 83: nervorum, a contraction, cramp, Scrib. Comp. 255; without nervorum, Plin. 20, 17, 73, § 191: bonorum, i. e. consolidation, Gai Inst. 2, 155.—Hence,
B Transf., an abridging, shortening, abridgment, shortness: paginae, Cic. Att. 5, 4, 4: syllabae, shortening in pronunciation (opp. productio), id. de Or. 3, 50, 196: orationis (opp. longitudo), id. Part. Or. 6, 19.— *
II Trop.: animi in dolore, dejection, undue depression, despondency (opp. effusio animi in laetitiā), Cic. Tusc. 4, 31, 66; cf. id. ib. 4, 6, 14: animos demittunt et contrahunt; v. contraho, II. B.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
contractĭō,¹⁴ ōnis, f. (contraho),
1 action de contracter, contraction : digitorum Cic. Nat. 2, 150, action de fermer la main ; contractio frontis Cic. Sest. 19, action de plisser le front
2 action de serrer, d’abréger : Cic. Att. 5, 4, 4 ; de Or. 3, 196
