contrive

Compared meaning: to plan or work out how to do something (verb).

比较义项：事先想好或设计做某事的方法（动词“计划”义）。

• project

  Project is formal, sometimes old-fashioned, and stresses devising a plan that reaches into the future, often on a large or official scale.

  project 语气正式，有时略显过时，强调构思一项面向未来才会实现的计划，常用于较宏大或官方的场合。

  Economists projected long-term policies to stabilize the currency over the next decade.

  经济学家构想了一套长期政策，计划在未来十年稳定货币。

• plan

  Plan is the everyday, neutral word for deciding in detail how something will be done, with no special hint of skill, formality or difficulty.

  plan 是最普通、中性的用词，指详细决定该如何做某事，不带任何关于技巧、正式程度或困难的暗示。

  We planned our wedding down to the smallest detail.

  我们把婚礼的每一个细节都计划好了。

• design

  Design stresses working out a pattern and fitting parts together for a particular purpose, often producing something with a clear structure.

  design 强调构思出一种模式，把各部分组合起来以达成特定目的，结果往往具有清晰的结构。

  She designed a workout routine combining strength and cardio exercises.

  她设计了一套结合力量训练和有氧运动的健身计划。

• contrive 本词

  Contrive suggests cleverness or ingenuity in reaching a goal despite obstacles or difficulty, and can hint at scheming.

  contrive 强调在克服障碍或困难的情况下，巧妙地想办法达成目标，有时还带有几分耍手段、耍心机的意味。

  The prisoners contrived a clever escape despite being watched around the clock.

  尽管一直被严密看守，囚犯们还是巧妙地策划了一次逃跑。

These words mean to think out a way to do something. Plan is neutral and everyday. Design stresses fitting parts into a pattern. Project is formal, about planning for the future. Contrive means finding a clever way despite difficulty. Noun uses are not compared here.

这几个词都表示事先想好要怎样做某件事，但语气和侧重不同：plan 最普通、中性；design 强调把各部分组织成有条理的方案；project 语气正式，强调计划指向未来；contrive 强调在困难中巧妙地想出办法，有时带有耍手段的意味。这里不比较 project 作名词表示“项目”、design 作名词表示“设计、图案”、以及 plan 作名词表示“计划”的用法。