Con-triv'ance, n.
Sense 1. The act of contriving, inventing, devising, or planning.
The machine we are inspecting demonstrates, by its construction, contrivance and design. Contrivance must have had a contriver. Paley.
Sense 2. The thing contrived, invented, or planned; disposition of parts or causes by design; a scheme; plan; artifice.
Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Burke.
Syn.—Device; plan; scheme; invention; project; design; machination; shift. See DEVICE.