circumstance

[sur-kuhm-stans or, esp. British, -stuhns]

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR circumstance ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

Usually circumstances. the existing conditions or state of affairs surrounding and affecting an agent: Circumstances permitting, we sail on Monday.

an unessential or secondary accompaniment of any fact or event; minor detail: The author dwells on circumstances rather than essentials.

circumstances, the condition or state of a person with respect to income and material welfare: a family in reduced circumstances.

an incident or occurrence: His arrival was a fortunate circumstance.

detailed or circuitous narration; specification of particulars: The speaker expatiated with great circumstance upon his theme.

Archaic. ceremonious accompaniment or display: pomp and circumstance.

verb (used with object), cir·cum·stanced, cir·cum·stanc·ing.

to place in particular circumstances or relations: The company was favorably circumstanced by the rise in tariffs.

Obsolete.

to furnish with details.
to control or guide by circumstances.

Nearby words

Idioms

under no circumstances, regardless of events or conditions; never: Under no circumstances should you see them again.

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.

Origin of circumstance

1175–1225; Middle English < Latin circumstantia (circumstant-, stem of circumstāns, present participle of circumstāre to stand round), equivalent to circum- circum- + stā- stand + -nt present participle suffix + -ia noun suffix; see -ance

SYNONYMS FOR circumstance

7. ritual, formality, splendor.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR circumstance ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for circumstances

And as he adjusted to this change in circumstances, he screamed at himself a second time: Wait!
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Guilt, when dispensed in the circumstances Morris occupied, is the anti-Viagra.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The grim instability of shelter life is hardly a recipe for success under the best of circumstances.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Everything is a different situation, depending on where I find it and what the circumstances are.
#Setinthestreet: Your Street Corner Is Their Art Project|James Joiner|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Like I said, in spite of or because of my circumstances, I was able to accomplish my dreams.
Tim Howard’s Wall of Intensity|William O’Connor|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Owing to circumstances, the eldest lad had to be sent to school at an early age.
The Power of Womanhood, or Mothers and Sons|Ellice Hopkins
Give me leave then, dear reader, to place before you the whole of the circumstances.
Three Years' War|Christiaan Rudolf de Wet
These circumstances had given extensive notoriety to her name, and drawn largely upon her the observation of both friend and foe.
Horse-Shoe Robinson|John Pendleton Kennedy
Indeed, in certain quarters a prejudice against laughing under any circumstances appears to have sprung up.
Europe Revised|Irvin S. Cobb
Under all the circumstances the conduct of the troops was admirable.
A Virginia Village|Charles A. Stewart

British Dictionary definitions for circumstances

circumstance

noun

(usually plural) a condition of time, place, etc, that accompanies or influences an event or condition

an incident or occurrence, esp a chance one

accessory information or detail

formal display or ceremony (archaic except in the phrase pomp and circumstance)

under no circumstances or in no circumstances in no case; never

under the circumstances because of conditions; this being the case

in bad circumstances (of a person) in a bad financial situation

in good circumstances (of a person) in a good financial situation

verb (tr)

to place in a particular condition or situation

obsolete to give in detail

Word Origin for circumstance

C13: from Old French circonstance, from Latin circumstantia, from circumstāre to stand around, from circum- + stāre to stand

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for circumstances

circumstances

"condition of life, material welfare" (usually with a qualifying adjective), 1704, from circumstance.

circumstance

early 13c., "conditions surrounding and accompanying an event," from Old French circonstance "circumstance, situation," also literally, "outskirts" (13c., Modern French circonstance), from Latin circumstantia "surrounding condition," neuter plural of circumstans (genitive circumstantis), present participle of circumstare "stand around, surround, encompass, occupy, take possession of" from circum "around" (see circum-) + stare "to stand" from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). The Latin word is a loan-translation of Greek peristasis.

Meaning "a person's surroundings, environment" is from mid-14c. Meaning "a detail" is from c.1300; sense of "that which is non-essential" is from 1590s. Obsolete sense of "formality about an important event" (late 14c.) lingers in Shakespeare's phrase pomp and circumstance ("Othello" III, iii).

Idioms and Phrases with circumstances

circumstance

see extenuating circumstances; under the circumstances.

circumstance

noun

verb (used with object), cir·cum·stanced, cir·cum·stanc·ing.

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Origin of circumstance

Examples from the Web for circumstances

circumstance

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for circumstance

circumstances

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