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1 N‑PLURAL The contents of a container such as a bottle, box, or room are the things that are inside it. □ [+ of ] Empty the contents of the pan into the sieve. □  Sandon Hall and its contents will be auctioned by Sotheby's on October 6.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to the content or contents of something such as a book, speech, or television programme, you are referring to the subject that it deals with, the story that it tells, or the ideas that it expresses. □ [+ of ] She is reluctant to discuss the content of the play. □  The letter's contents were not disclosed.

3 N‑PLURAL The contents of a book are its different chapters and sections, usually shown in a list at the beginning of the book. □  There is no initial list of contents.

4 N‑UNCOUNT The content of something such as an educational course or a programme of action is the elements that it consists of. □  Previous students have had nothing but praise for the course content and staff.

5 N‑SING [n N ] You can use content to refer to the amount or proportion of something that a substance contains. □  Sunflower margarine has the same fat content as butter.

➋ con|tent /kənte nt/ (contents , contenting , contented )

→ Please look at category 4 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.

1 ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ to-inf] If you are content with something, you are willing to accept it, rather than wanting something more or something better. □ [+ with ] I'm perfectly content with the way the campaign has gone. □ [+ with ] Not content with rescuing one theatre, Sally Green has taken on another.

2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are content , you are fairly happy or satisfied. □  He says his daughter is quite content.

3 VERB If you content yourself with something, you accept it and do not try to do or have other things. □ [V pron-refl + with ] He wisely contented himself with his family and his love of nature. □ [V pron-refl + with/by ] Most manufacturers content themselves with updating existing models.

4to your heart's content → see heart

con|tent|ed /kənte nt I d/ ADJ If you are contented , you are satisfied with your life or the situation you are in. □  Whenever he returns to this place he is happy and contented. □  She was gazing at him with a soft, contented smile on her face.

con|ten|tion /kənte nʃ ^ə n/ (contentions )

1 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Someone's contention is the idea or opinion that they are expressing in an argument or discussion. □  This evidence supports their contention that the outbreak of violence was prearranged.

2 N‑UNCOUNT [usu n of N ] If something is a cause of contention , it is a cause of disagreement or argument. □  A particular source of contention is plans to privatise state-run companies.

3 → see also bone of contention

4 PHRASE If you are in contention in a contest, you have a chance of winning it. □ [+ for ] He was in contention for a place in the European championship squad.

con|ten|tious /kənte nʃəs/ ADJ A contentious issue causes a lot of disagreement or arguments. [FORMAL ] □  Sanctions are expected to be among the most contentious issues. □  …a country where land prices are politically contentious.

con|tent|ment /kənte ntmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Contentment is a feeling of quiet happiness and satisfaction. □  I cannot describe the feeling of contentment that was with me at that time.