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circumstance

[ sur-kuhm-stans or, especially British, -stuhns ]
/ ˈsɜr kəmˌstæns or, especially British, -stəns /
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See synonyms for: circumstance / circumstanced / circumstances / circumstancing on Thesaurus.com

noun
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.
  1. to furnish with details.
  2. to control or guide by circumstances.
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Idioms about circumstance

    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

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from 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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use circumstance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for circumstance

circumstance
/ (ˈsɜːkəmstəns) /

noun
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

Other Idioms and Phrases with circumstance

circumstance

see extenuating circumstances; under the circumstances.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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