circumstance
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++cir·cum·stance /ˈsɜːkəmstæns, -stəns $ ˈsɜːr-/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL noun 1 [countable usually plural]SITUATION the conditions that affect a situation, action, event etc 情况，情形 The Soviet Union had been forced by circumstances to sign a pact with Nazi Germany. 苏联为形势所迫同纳粹德国签订了一项条约。 I can’t imagine a circumstance in which I would be willing to steal. 我无法想象我在什么情况下会愿意去偷东西。in ... circumstances The rules can only be waived in exceptional circumstances. 这些规定只有在特殊情况下才能破例。under ... circumstances Prisoners can only leave their cells under certain circumstances. 只有在某些情况下囚犯才可以离开牢房。2 under no circumstances (also in no circumstances British English)NOT DO something used to emphasize that something must definitely not happen 决不，无论如何都不 Under no circumstances are you to go out. 你绝对不可以出去。3 under/given the circumstances (also in the circumstances British English)SITUATION used to say that a particular situation makes an action, decision etc necessary, acceptable, or true when it would not normally be 在这种情况下，情形既然如此 It’s the best result that could be expected under the circumstances. 在这种情况下，这可能是最好的结果了。4 [uncountable] formalSITUATION the combination of facts, events etc that influence your life, and that you cannot control 命运；客观环境；境遇 He was a victim of circumstance. 他是客观环境的牺牲品。5 circumstances [plural] formal the conditions in which you live, especially how much money you have 境况，状况〔尤指经济状况〕economic/financial/personal etc circumstances Whether or not you qualify for a loan will depend on your financial circumstances. 你是否有贷款资格将取决于你的经济状况。 people living in difficult social circumstances 在艰难的社会环境里生活的人们in reduced circumstances old-fashioned (=with much less money than you used to have) 财政状况不佳，经济拮据 → pomp and circumstance at pomp COLLOCATIONSadjectivesin/under certain circumstances (=if particular conditions exist) 在某些情况下In certain circumstances you may be refused a visa. 在某些情况下你的签证申请有可能会被拒。exceptional/special circumstances 特殊情况The court may allow this evidence in exceptional circumstances. 法庭在特殊情况下可能会允许出示这项证据。normal circumstances 正常情况In normal circumstances, a child’s language will develop naturally. 在正常情况下，儿童的语言能力会自然发展。particular circumstances (=special or specific) 特殊情况；特定情况There may be particular circumstances in which this rule will not apply. 这条规则可能不适用于某些特殊情况。difficult circumstances 艰苦的环境Many teachers are doing a very good job under difficult circumstances. 许多老师在艰苦的条件下都干得非常出色。suspicious circumstances (=making you think something illegal has happened) 可疑情形Officers said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. 警方称他的死亡不存在疑点。mysterious circumstances (=strange or suspicious) 神秘的情况One of their colleagues had vanished in mysterious circumstances. 他们有一名同事神秘失踪。unusual circumstances 非常情况nThere were several unusual circumstances that night.unforeseen circumstances (=that you did not realize would happen) 未预见的情况nThe tragedy was the result of a series of unforeseen circumstances.tragic circumstances (=extremely sad and unfortunate) 悲惨境况nBoth parents had died in tragic circumstances.extenuating/mitigating circumstances (=conditions that make it reasonable for someone to break the rules or law) 情有可原的情形nHunger and poverty are not treated by the courts as extenuating circumstances.phrasesa set/combination of circumstances 多种因素This was a very unusual set of circumstances. 这是很不寻常的复杂情况。the circumstances surrounding something 某事的原因Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident. 警方正在调查事故原因。due to circumstances beyond somebody’s control 因为某人无法控制的原因Occasionally flights are cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. 偶尔有航班因为我们无法控制的原因而取消。
Examples from the Corpus
circumstance• Women of the same age and circumstance as you are less likely to live with their parents.• Justified because so clearly embraced by circumstances they had only the subtlest hand in bringing into being?• However, it has been claimed that some doctors in the province will perform abortions in certain circumstances.• It may be that under certain circumstances one of the alternative methods of valuation is the most appropriate.• Only in one particular circumstance could the court legally override the decision.• Under these circumstances the Chinook can carry up to equipped men, and the Puma carries sixteen.• Personally, I feel it was reasonable under those circumstances.• For the first time in three years, circumstances prevented me from attending.in ... circumstances• In the circumstances of 1921, Michael Joyce would have been ill-advised to seek reconciliation with the new order in Ireland.• If there is an offence at all in such circumstances, it is probably under section 5 rather than section 4.• But in other circumstances returns will be maximised by raising prices.• But in such circumstances they are all we have.• What would Sherlock Holmes do in the circumstances?• It happened three times while I was there, each in very similar circumstances.• Assume that a duty of care is owed by A to C as a rescue was reasonably foreseeable in the circumstances.• This implies that very demanding quality assurance procedures and methods are needed in such circumstances.victim of circumstance• She was feeling helpless, a victim of circumstances temporarily outside her control, and it was a feeling she loathed.• Or is she a victim of circumstances?• It can be said he was a victim of circumstances.• As I have said, he was a victim of circumstances, and of a strong concentration of parental love.• This argument has received wide currency, in part because it again presents Gloucester as the victim of circumstances rather than their manipulator.• Of course, he was for ever the victim of circumstances.Origin circumstance (1100-1200) Old French Latin circumstantia, from circumstare “to stand around”, from circum- (CIRCUM-) + stare “to stand”cir·cum·stance noun →COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
affect that situation, conditions Corpus the a
circumstance
cir‧cum‧stance S2 W1 AC /ˈsɜːkəmstæns, -stəns $ ˈsɜːr-/
noun
The Soviet Union had been forced by circumstances to sign a pact with Nazi Germany.
I can’t imagine a circumstance in which I would be willing to steal.
in ... circumstances
The rules can only be waived in exceptional circumstances.
under ... circumstances
Prisoners can only leave their cells under certain circumstances.
2. under no circumstances (also in no circumstances British English) used to emphasize that something must definitely not happen:
Under no circumstances are you to go out.
3. under/given the circumstances (also in the circumstances British English) used to say that a particular situation makes an action, decision etc necessary, acceptable, or true when it would not normally be:
It’s the best result that could be expected under the circumstances.
4. [uncountable] formal the combination of facts, events etc that influence your life, and that you cannot control:
He was a victim of circumstance.
5. circumstances [plural] formal the conditions in which you live, especially how much money you have
economic/financial/personal etc circumstances
Whether or not you qualify for a loan will depend on your financial circumstances.
people living in difficult social circumstances
in reduced circumstances old-fashioned (=with much less money than you used to have)
⇨ pomp and circumstance at pomp
■ adjectives
▪in/under certain circumstances (=if particular conditions exist) In certain circumstances you may be refused a visa.
▪exceptional/special circumstances The court may allow this evidence in exceptional circumstances.
▪normal circumstances In normal circumstances, a child’s language will develop naturally.
▪particular circumstances (=special or specific) There may be particular circumstances in which this rule will not apply.
▪difficult circumstances Many teachers are doing a very good job under difficult circumstances.
▪suspicious circumstances (=making you think something illegal has happened) Officers said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
▪mysterious circumstances (=strange or suspicious) One of their colleagues had vanished in mysterious circumstances.
▪unusual circumstances There were several unusual circumstances that night.
▪unforeseen circumstances (=that you did not realize would happen) The tragedy was the result of a series of unforeseen circumstances.
▪tragic circumstances (=extremely sad and unfortunate) Both parents had died in tragic circumstances.
▪extenuating/mitigating circumstances (=conditions that make it reasonable for someone to break the rules or law) Hunger and poverty are not treated by the courts as extenuating circumstances.
■ phrases
▪a set/combination of circumstances This was a very unusual set of circumstances.
▪the circumstances surrounding something Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.
▪due to circumstances beyond sb’s control Occasionally flights are cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control.
cir‧cum‧stance S2 W1 AC /ˈsɜːkəmstæns, -stəns $ ˈsɜːr-/
noun Date: 1100-1200
Language: Old French
Origin: Latin circumstantia, from circumstare 'to stand around', from circum- (CIRCUM-) + stare 'to stand'
1. [countable usually plural] the conditions that affect a situation, action, event etc:Language: Old French
Origin: Latin circumstantia, from circumstare 'to stand around', from circum- (CIRCUM-) + stare 'to stand'
in ... circumstances
under ... circumstances
2. under no circumstances (also in no circumstances British English) used to emphasize that something must definitely not happen:
3. under/given the circumstances (also in the circumstances British English) used to say that a particular situation makes an action, decision etc necessary, acceptable, or true when it would not normally be:
4. [uncountable] formal the combination of facts, events etc that influence your life, and that you cannot control:
5. circumstances [plural] formal the conditions in which you live, especially how much money you have
economic/financial/personal etc circumstances
in reduced circumstances old-fashioned (=with much less money than you used to have)
⇨ pomp and circumstance at pomp
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situation all the things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place 指情况、状况、形势、局面 ：◆ the present economic situation 目前的经济形势 circumstances the facts that are connected with and affect a situation, an event or an action; the conditions of a person's life, especially the money they have 指条件、环境、状况、境况，（尤指）经济状况 ：◆ The ship sank in mysterious circumstances. 那艘船神秘地沉没了。 position the situation that sb is in, especially when it affects what they can and cannot do 指处境、地位、状况 ：◆ She felt she was in a position of power. 她觉得她自己有权力。 conditions the circumstances in which people live, work or do things; the physical situation that affects how sth happens 指居住、工作或做事情的环境、境况、条件，影响某事发生的物质环境、状态、条件 ：◆ We were forced to work outside in freezing conditions. 我们被迫在户外天寒地冻的环境下工作。
circumstances or conditions? 用 circumstances 还是 conditions？
things ( the general situation, as it affects sbrather
指形势、局面、情况、事态 ：◆ Hi, Jane! How are things? 喂，简，近来怎么样？ ◆ Think things over before you decide. 先把情况考虑周全再作决定。 the case the true situation 指实情、事实 ：◆ If that is the case (= , we need more staff.if the situation described is true )如果真是那样，我们就需要更多的员工了。 state of affairs a situation 指事态、情况、形势 ：◆ How did this unhappy state of affairs come about? 这种不幸的情况是怎么发生的呢？
situation or state of affairs? 用 situation 还是 state of affairs？
State of affairs is mostly used withthis . It is also used with adjectives describing how good or bad a situation is, such ashappy ,sorry ,shocking ,sad andunhappy , as well as those relating to time, such aspresent andcurrent .Situation is much more frequent and is used in a wider variety of contexts.* state of affairs 多与 this 连用，亦与表示形势好坏的形容词（如 happy、sorry、shocking、sad 和 unhappy）以及与时间有关的形容词（如 present 和 current）连用。situation 常用得多，且用于更广泛的语境中。
Patterns
in (a) particular situation/circumstances/position/state of affairsthe/sb's economic/financial/social situation/circumstances/position/conditions(a/an) happy/unhappy situation/circumstances/position/state of affairsto look at/review the situation/circumstances/conditions/things
