CONTRIBUTE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does contribute mean? 

• CONTRIBUTE (verb)
  The verb CONTRIBUTE has 4 senses:

1. bestow a quality on

2. contribute to some cause

3. be conducive to

4. provide

  Familiarity information: CONTRIBUTE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONTRIBUTE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they contribute    ... he / she / it contributes   
Past simple: contributed   
Past participle: contributed   
-ing form: contributing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bestow a quality on

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

add; bestow; bring; contribute; impart; lend

Context example:

This adds a light note to the program

Hypernyms (to "contribute" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "contribute"):

factor (be a contributing factor)

instill; transfuse (impart gradually)

tinsel (impart a cheap brightness to)

throw in (add as an extra or as a gratuity)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Contribute to some cause

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

chip in; contribute; give; kick in

Context example:

I gave at the office

Hypernyms (to "contribute" is one way to...):

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "contribute"):

combine (add together from different sources)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

contribution (the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result)

contribution (act of giving in common with others for a common purpose especially to a charity)

contributor (someone who contributes (or promises to contribute) a sum of money)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be conducive to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

conduce; contribute; lead

Context example:

The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing

Hypernyms (to "contribute" is one way to...):

advance; boost; encourage; further; promote (contribute to the progress or growth of)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

contributive; contributory (tending to bring about; being partly responsible for)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Provide

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

contribute; put up

Context example:

The city has to put up half the required amount

Hypernyms (to "contribute" is one way to...):

pay (give money, usually in exchange for goods or services)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

contribution (act of giving in common with others for a common purpose especially to a charity)

 Context examples 

A measurement of the proteins contributing to the alpha 2 fraction in a biological specimen.

(Alpha-2 Globulin Measurement, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Furthermore, this agent's affinity for various cellular targets, i.e. membranes, nucleic acids and proteins, may contribute to the overall antibacterial effect.

(Ambazone, NCI Thesaurus)

A measurement of the proteins contributing to the alpha 1 fraction in a biological specimen.

(Alpha-1 Globulin Measurement, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

As aldosterone causes re-uptake of sodium and water and eventually an increase in extracellular volume, aliskiren is able to prevent the effects that contribute to an increase in blood pressure.

(Aliskiren, NCI Thesaurus)

Alipamide primarily causes a saluretic effect and is able to inhibit carbonic anhydrase at higher doses which may also contribute to this agent's diuretic effect.

(Alipamide, NCI Thesaurus)

Because DNA defects contribute to skin cancer, aminobenzoic acid is no longer widely used in sunscreen formulations.

(Aminobenzoic acid, NCI Thesaurus)

DI-B4 contains low levels of fucose, which contributes to its enhanced ADCC activity.

(Anti-CD19 Monoclonal Antibody DI-B4, NCI Thesaurus)

The activation of PAR-induced platelet aggregation is inhibited by aspirin, indicating that thromboxane production induced by PAR signaling contributes to platelet activation.

(Aspirin Inhibition of Platelet Activation Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

A description of the kind and extent of supervision, guidance and advice that the mentor intends to contribute to the trainee during the proposed award period.

(Mentor's Statement, NCI Thesaurus)

LOXL2, a member of the lysyl oxidase (LO) gene family, is an extracellular, copper-dependent enzyme overexpressed in a variety of tumor cell types, and contributes to tumor cell invasion and metastasis.

(Anti-LOXL2 Monoclonal Antibody GS 6624, NCI Thesaurus)