Circumstance

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æns, É™ns
• US /sɝkɘmstæns/, UK /sɜːkɘmstɘns/

Alternative forms

• circumstaunce

Origin

From Old French circonstance, from Latin circumstantia

Full definition of circumstance

Noun

1. That which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an attendant thing or state of things.
• Washington IrvingThe circumstances are well known in the country where they happened.
• 1905, w, w:The Case of Miss Elliott Chapter 1, “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. …”
2. An event; a fact; a particular incident.
• AddisonThe sculptor had in his thoughts the conqoeror weeping for new worlds, or the like circumstances in history.
• 1834, David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of, Nebraska 1987, p. 20:Then another circumstance happened, which made a lasting impression on my memory, though I was but a small child.
3. Circumlocution; detail.
• ShakespeareSo without more circumstance at all
  I hold it fit that we shake hands and part.
4. Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings.
• AddisonWhen men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.

Derived terms

• attendant circumstance
• extenuating circumstances
• under no circumstance
• under the circumstances

Verb

1. To place in a particular situation, especially with regard to money or other resources.
• 1858, Anthony Trollope, , Chapter 8:Tidings had in some shape reached is ears that his father was not comfortably circumstanced as regarded money.
• 1949, 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.