Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Contrive \Con*trive"\, v. i.
   To make devices; to form designs; to plan; to scheme; to
   plot.

         The Fates with traitors do contrive.     --Shak.

         Thou hast contrived against th very life Of the
         defendant.                               --Shak.

Contrive \Con*trive"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Contrived}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Contriving}.] [OE. contriven, contreven, controven,
   to invent, OF. controver, contruver; con- + trouver to find.
   See {Troubadour}, {trover}.]
   To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to invent; to
   design; to plan.

         What more likely to contrive this admirable frame of
         the universe than infinite wisdom.       --Tillotson.

         neither do thou imagine that I shall contrive aught
         against his life.                        --Hawthorne.

   Syn: To invent; discover; plan; design; project; plot;
        concert; hatch.

Source : WordNet®

contrive
     v 1: make or work out a plan for; devise; "They contrived to
          murder their boss"; "design a new sales strategy"; "plan
          an attack" [syn: {plan}, {project}, {design}]
     2: come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or
        priciple) after a mental effort; "excogitate a way to
        measure the speed of light" [syn: {invent}, {devise}, {excogitate},
         {formulate}, {forge}]
     3: put or send forth; "She threw the flashlight beam into the
        corner"; "The setting sun threw long shadows"; "cast a
        spell"; "cast a warm light" [syn: {project}, {cast}, {throw}]