1. (n.) The shortening of the long syllable.

2. (n.) The contraction of the heart and arteries by which the blood is forced onward and the circulation kept up; -- correlative to diastole.

abbreviation arsis astriction astringency beat bottleneck bout cervix circle circuit circumscription coarctation compactedness compaction compression compressure concentration condensation consolidation constriction constringency contraction contracture course curtailment cycle decrease diastole diminuendo downbeat hourglass hourglass figure isthmus knitting narrow place narrowing neck puckering pulse pursing reduction revolution rotation round series shortening solidification spell stranglement strangulation striction stricture thesis turn upbeat wasp waist wheel wrinkling