circumstance
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: From Middle English circumstaunce, from Old French circonstance, from Latin circumstantia.
Inflected forms:
form: circumstances
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: circumstaunce
pos: noun
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: circumstances
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: circumstancing
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: circumstanced
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: circumstanced
pos: verb
tags: past
form: circumstaunce
pos: verb
tags: alternative
obsolete
Senses:
gloss: Something which is related to, or in some way affects, a fact or event.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: The report should focus on to the current circumstances of the organisation, to help us find a way to grow in the future.
She went missing in somewhat spooky circumstances.
A victim of circumstance.
She performed well under/in/given the circumstances.
The circumstances are well known in the country where they happened.
The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas. […]
gloss: An event; a fact; a particular incident, occurrence, or condition (status).
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: I have ſeen Two or Three antique Buſts of Alexander in the ſame Air and Poſture, and am apt to think the Sculptor had in his Thoughts the Conqueror's weeping for new Worlds, or ſome other the like Circumſtance of his History.
Then another circumstance happened, which made a lasting impression on my memory, though I was but a small child.
gloss: Evasive or indirect language; circumlocution.
pos: noun
tags: archaic
countable
uncountable
examples: Right, you are in the right, and therefore / I holde it meet without more circumſtance at all, / Wee ſhake hands and part; […]
But he (as louing his owne pride, and purpoſes) / Euades them, with a bumbaſt Circumſtance, / Horribly ſtufft with Epithites of warre,
Old Ger. You put vs to a needeleſſe labour ſir, / To runne and winde about for circumſtance, / When the plaine word, I thanke you, would have ſeru'd.
gloss: Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: She was born into comfortable circumstances.
When men are eaſy in their circumſtances, they are naturally enemies to innovations: […]
gloss: To place in a particular situation, especially with regard to money or other resources.
pos: verb
examples: Frank muttered something. Tidings had in some shape reached his ears that his father was not comfortably circumstanced as regarded money.
While also taxing Ferrein with the same motives, Diderot's account of his doings is much more circumstanced than La Mettrie's, and also much more amusing, thanks to the interpolation of the «bijoux» motif.
Synonyms: circumstance
position
posture
Related words: circumstantial
coinstantial
circumspection
Derived words: aggravating circumstance
attendant circumstance
attenuating circumstance
exigent circumstance
extenuating circumstance
extenuating circumstances
mitigating circumstance
mitigating circumstances
pomp and circumstance
under no circumstance
under the circumstances
Translations: