marco was careful to wash his hands because he did not want to contract a disease

what is the meaning of the word contract as it is used in the sentence above?

a. a binding agreement between two parties
b. reduce in size
c. acquired involuntarily
d. make a promise

The meaning of the word "contract" as used in the sentence above is:

c. acquired involuntarily

In this context, "contract" means to acquire or get a disease unintentionally or involuntarily. Washing his hands is a preventive measure taken by Marco to avoid acquiring a disease.

The meaning of the word "contract" in the sentence you provided is "c. acquired involuntarily." In this context, it means that Marco did not want to catch or become infected with a disease. He was being cautious about washing his hands to prevent the transmission of any harmful germs that could cause illness.

To determine the meaning of a word, it's important to consider the context in which it is used. In this case, understanding the sentence and the topic being discussed (washing hands to prevent disease) helps us interpret the meaning of "contract" as acquiring a disease involuntarily.