Obs. [as if ad. L. *contactiōnem, f. contact-: see CONTACT sb. (Very frequent in 17th c.)] The action of touching, contact.
1612–5. Bp. Hall, Contempl., N. T., IV. xxiv. Is his hand so short that he can do nothing but by contaction?
1627–77. Feltham, Resolves, I. lxix. 105. We see infection sooner taken by breath than contaction.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Chr. Mor., 66. Since … we cannot be punish’d unto amendment by proxy or commutation, nor by vicinity but contaction.
