Obs. [f. CONTRIVE v.1 + -MENT; cf. F. controuvement. Exceedingly common in 17th c.; but superseded before 1700 by CONTRIVANCE.]
1. The action of contriving; = CONTRIVANCE 1.
1599. Sandys, Europæ Spec. (1632), 127. Their wit and cunning in contrivements.
1656. Heylin, Surv. France, 31. The death of Arthur was not without his contrivement.
1681. Flavell, Right. Mans Ref., 191. Those acts … are the height and top of all rational contrivement.
2. Mode of contriving or planning; ingenious construction; = CONTRIVANCE 6.
c. 1592. Faustus, in Thoms, E. E. Prose Rom. (1858), III. 224. Which for … the contrivement of the church, hath not the like in christendom.
a. 1634. Chapman, Alphonsus, Introd., Plays 1873, III. 197. The Design is high, the Contrivement subtle.
a. 1670. Rust, Disc. Truth (1682), 176. The admirable contrivement and artifice of this great Fabrick of the Universe.
3. A device for attaining some end; an expedient, artifice, plot, stratagem; = CONTRIVANCE 7.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xx. (1632), 965. Hopefull and costly contriuements.
1626. Shirley, Brothers, V. iii. ’Tis a plot! a base contrivement To make my name ridiculous!
1678. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, III. 59. Al the bloudy contrivements, barbarous and cruel executions.
