Dictionary
con•triv•ance
Pronunciation: (kun-trī'vuns), [key]—
n.
1. something contrived; a device, esp. a mechanical one.
2. the act or manner of contriving; the faculty or power of contriving.
3. a plan or scheme; expedient.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.