əˈplaɪəns kənˈtɹæp.ʃən kənˈtɹaɪ.vəns kənˈviːnɪəns kənˈvinjəns dɒdʒ ɡædʒɪt ɡædʒət ˈɡɪzmoʊ ˈstɹæt.ə.dʒəm the act of devising something a device or control that is very useful for a particular job any improvised arrangement for temporary use the faculty of contriving; inventive skill his skillful contrivance of answers to every problem an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc. the plot contained too many improbable contrivances to be believable an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track