circumstance

circumstance
/serr"keuhm stans'/ or, esp. Brit., /-steuhns/, n., v., circumstanced, circumstancing.
n.
1. a condition, detail, part, or attribute, with respect to time, place, manner,agent, etc., that accompanies, determines, or modifies a fact or event; a modifying or influencing factor: Do not judge his behavior without considering every circumstance.
2. Usually, circumstances. the existing conditions or state of affairs surrounding and affecting an agent: Circumstances permitting, we sail on Monday.
3. an unessential or secondary accompaniment of any fact or event; minor detail: The author dwells on circumstances rather than essentials.
4. circumstances, the condition or state of a person with respect to income and material welfare: a family in reduced circumstances.
5. an incident or occurrence: His arrival was a fortunate circumstance.
6. detailed or circuitous narration; specification of particulars: The speaker expatiated with great circumstance upon his theme.
7. Archaic. ceremonious accompaniment or display: pomp and circumstance.
8. under no circumstances, regardless of events or conditions; never: Under no circumstances should you see them again.
9. under the circumstances, because of the conditions; as the case stands: Under the circumstances, there is little hope for an early settlement. Also, in the circumstances.
v.t.
10. to place in particular circumstances or relations: The company was favorably circumstanced by the rise in tariffs.
11. Obs.
a. to furnish with details.
b. to control or guide by circumstances.
[1175-1225; ME < L circumstantia (circumstant-, s. of circumstans, prp. of circumstare to stand round), equiv. to circum- CIRCUM- + sta- STAND + -nt prp. suffix + -ia n. suffix; see -ANCE]
Syn. 7. ritual, formality, splendor.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • circumstance — cir·cum·stance n 1 a: a condition, fact, or event accompanying, conditioning, or determining another the circumstance s constituting fraud or mistake shall be stated Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 9(b) b: a piece of evidence that indicates …   Law dictionary

  • Circumstance — or circumstances can refer to: Rhetoric Circumstances (rhetoric) Legal terms Aggravating circumstance Attendant circumstance Exigent circumstance Extenuating circumstances Literature Circumstance (short story) Films Circumstance (film) Others… …   Wikipedia

  • circumstance — cir cum*stance (s[ e]r k[u^]m*st[a^]ns), n. [L. circumstantia, fr. circumstans, antis, p. pr. of circumstare to stand around; circum + stare to stand. See {Stand}.] 1. That which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • circumstance — (n.) early 13c., conditions surrounding and accompanying an event, from O.Fr. circonstance circumstance, situation, also literally, outskirts (Mod.Fr. circonstance), from L. circumstantia surrounding condition, neut. pl. of circumstans (gen.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • circumstance — [sʉr′kəm stans΄, sʉr′kəmstəns] n. [OFr < L circumstantia, a standing around, condition < circumstare < circum, around + stare,STAND] 1. a fact or event accompanying another, either incidentally or as an essential condition or determining …   English World dictionary

  • circumstance — ► NOUN 1) a fact or condition connected with an event or action. 2) unforeseen events outside one s control: a victim of circumstance. 3) (circumstances) one s state of financial or material welfare. ● under (or in) the circumstances Cf. ↑under… …   English terms dictionary

  • Circumstance — Cir cum*stance, v. t. To place in a particular situation; to supply relative incidents. [1913 Webster] The poet took the matters of fact as they came down to him and circumstanced them, after his own manner. Addison. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • circumstance — *occurrence, event, incident, episode Analogous words: *item, detail, particular: factor, constituent, component, *element …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • circumstance — The debate about the merits of in the circumstances and under the circumstances continued for most of the 20c. The pedantic view is that since circumstances are, etymologically speaking, around (circum) us, we must be in them and not under them;… …   Modern English usage

  • circumstance — [n] situation, condition accident, action, adjunct, affair, article, case, cause, coincidence, concern, contingency, crisis, destiny, detail, doom, element, episode, event, exigency, fact, factor, fate, feature, fortuity, go, happening,… …   New thesaurus

  • circumstance — noun 1 (usually circumstances) facts/events that affect sth ADJECTIVE ▪ favourable/favorable ▪ The plan might work better with more favourable/favorable circumstances. ▪ adverse, difficult, dire, tra …   Collocations dictionary

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