the contraction of the chambers of the heart (especially the ventricles) to drive blood into the aorta and pulmonary artery
source: WordNet 3.0
The shortening of the long syllable.
source: Webster 1913
The contraction of the heart and arteries by which the blood is forced onward and the circulation kept up; also, the contraction of a rhythmically pulsating contractile vacuole; -- correlative to diastole.
