English Dictionary: Circumstance | by the DICT Development Group |
3 results for Circumstance | |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
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From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Circumstance \Cir"cum*stance\, v. t. To place in a particular situation; to supply relative incidents. The poet took the matters of fact as they came down to him and circumstanced them, after his own manner. --Addison. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Circumstance \Cir"cum*stance\, 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 attendant thing or state of things. The circumstances are well known in the country where they happened. --W. Irving. 2. An event; a fact; a particular incident. The sculptor had in his thoughts the conqueror weeping for new worlds, or the like circumstances in history. --Addison. 3. Circumlocution; detail. [Obs.] So without more circumstance at all I hold it fit that we shake hands and part. --Shak. 4. pl. Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings. When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations. --Addison. {Not a circumstance}, of no account. [Colloq.] {Under the circumstances}, taking all things into consideration. Syn: Event; occurrence; incident; situation; condition; position; fact; detail; item. See {Event}. |