SITUATION


Meaning of SITUATION in English

INDEX:

1. what is happening in a particular place or at a particular time

2. your personal situation

3. when a situation affects what happens or what you do

RELATED WORDS

see also

↑ HAPPEN

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1. what is happening in a particular place or at a particular time

▷ situation /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun usually singular]

the combination of all the things that are happening in a particular place and at a particular time, especially when this is causing problems :

▪ I tried to explain the situation to my boss.

▪ With no rain for six months, the situation in the region was becoming desperate.

▪ The economic situation in the US is getting better.

▪ The news of more stock market losses could make the difficult economic situation worse.

in a situation

▪ If you are ever in a situation where someone starts shooting, drop to the ground.

▪ In the present situation, I don’t think it would be a good idea to try to sell your house.

▷ circumstances /ˈsɜːʳkəmstænsɪz, ˈsɜːʳkəmstænsəz/ [plural noun]

the situation at a particular time, which influences what people do, what they decide, and what can happen :

the circumstances

▪ TV cameras are sometimes allowed in the courts, but it depends on the circumstances.

in the circumstances

because of the circumstances

▪ We don’t normally allow people in after 8 pm, but in the circumstances we’ll make an exception.

in some/certain/normal etc circumstances

▪ An applicant’s age may be taken into consideration in some circumstances.

under some/the/certain etc circumstances

▪ Under normal circumstances I would never have left the children with a stranger.

▷ things /θɪŋz/ [plural noun] especially spoken, informal

the general situation that exists, especially the way it affects people’s lives :

▪ Don’t worry! Things can’t get any worse.

▪ Things haven’t changed much since I wrote to you last.

▪ Now that we have kids, things are really different.

▷ case /keɪs/ [countable noun]

a particular situation - use this especially when you are comparing one situation with others to show how they are similar or different :

▪ In cases like this, the company has to be sold off to someone who can cope with the debt.

in cases of

▪ The law limits work in underground mines to eight hours per day, except in cases of emergency.

in this/that case

▪ ‘It’s supposed to rain tomorrow.’ ‘Well, in that case, we won’t go.’

in some/a few/many cases

▪ In some cases, mail carriers could not get to mailboxes surrounded by plowed snow.

▷ what’s going on /ˌwɒts gəʊɪŋ ˈɒn/ [noun phrase]

use this especially to ask or say what is happening in a situation :

▪ Nobody could tell her what was going on.

▪ I’ve been waiting here for nearly two hours! Does anyone know what’s going on?

▪ What’s going on? Why won’t you talk to me?

▷ conditions /kənˈdɪʃ ə nz/ [plural noun]

all the things that affect the way people live or work, such as a country’s economic situation, whether people have enough food, the places they live in etc :

▪ Conditions in the city are getting rapidly worse.

▪ How can people live in such dreadful conditions?

▪ Employees are demanding better working conditions and higher wages.

▪ a study into the social conditions of the nineteenth century

▷ state of affairs /ˌsteɪt əv əˈfeəʳz/ [noun phrase]

an unsatisfactory, disappointing, or unusual situation that causes a lot of problems :

▪ Crisis has always been the normal state of affairs in our country’s politics.

sorry/sad state of affairs

bad state of affairs

▪ It’s a sad state of affairs when a leader can’t take the time to address the true problems facing his country.

▷ state of play /ˌsteɪt əv ˈpleɪ/ [noun phrase] British

what is happening now in a situation that is still developing and is likely to change - use this especially in business and political contexts :

▪ Every four weeks we get a briefing from the managers, giving us the state of play.

▪ The current state of play in Anglo-French relations is best characterized as ‘cautious cooperation’.

▷ scenario /sɪˈnɑːriəʊ, səˈnɑːriəʊǁ-ˈnæ-, -ˈne-/ [countable noun]

a situation that could possibly happen but has not happened yet - use this especially when you are discussing what might happen :

▪ Under the most hopeful scenario, it will take 20 years to clean up the mess.

worst-case/nightmare scenario

the worst possible situation

▪ In a worst-case scenario all life on the planet would be wiped out by a nuclear war.

▪ This is every politician’s nightmare scenario.

▷ environment /ɪnˈvaɪ ə rənmənt/ [countable noun]

all the things that influence the way you live, work, and develop, such as the physical conditions you live in and the people around you :

▪ Do girls learn better in an all-female environment?

▪ I didn’t feel that the neighborhood was a very safe environment for kids.

working/home environment

▪ We have tried to create a working environment in which everyone can develop their skills.

▷ climate /ˈklaɪmɪt, ˈklaɪmət/ [countable noun usually singular]

the economic, social, and political situation that exists at a particular time - use this especially when you are discussing what can be done or what people believe at that time :

▪ In today’s political climate the return of communism seems impossible.

▪ Hopefully, when the financial climate gets better we’ll be able to take on more workers.

climate of hostility/distrust etc

▪ The revelations of corruption have led to a climate of distrust in the capital.

climate of opinion

what people generally think

▪ The climate of opinion on the sensitive topic of euthanasia is changing gradually.

▷ set-up /ˈset ʌp/ [countable noun]

the way something such as a family, company, or country is arranged, especially a way that you do not understand or do not approve of :

▪ They’re divorced, but they’re still living in the same house - it seems like a strange set-up to me.

▪ It’s an impressive set-up. The foundation brings in half a million dollars a day.

2. your personal situation

▷ situation /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun usually singular]

the situation you are in, for example how much money you earn, where you live, whether you are married or have children etc :

▪ For most refugees, the situation is pretty hopeless.

▪ In your situation, I would have done exactly the same thing.

▪ The proper investment balance depends on each investor’s situation.

▷ circumstances /ˈsɜːʳkəmstænsɪz, ˈsɜːʳkəmstænsəz/ [plural noun]

your personal situation, for example how much money you earn, where you live, whether you are married or have children etc - used especially in official contexts :

▪ The organization provides aid to people in desperate circumstances.

▪ Please contact your Social Security office if there is any change in your circumstances.

▷ position /pəˈzɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun usually singular]

the situation that someone is in, especially a difficult or embarrassing situation that restricts what they can do :

▪ In her position, I’m not sure what I’d do.

the position of somebody

▪ Few rich people can really appreciate the position of the single mother living on welfare.

put somebody in an awkward/difficult/embarrassing etc position

▪ Ed asked me to lie for him to help save his job, which put me in a very awkward position.

▷ case /keɪs/ [countable noun usually singular]

a particular person’s or group’s situation - use this especially to compare one situation with others to show how they are similar or different :

in somebody’s case

▪ In my case, when I started teaching I enjoyed it right away.

in the case of

▪ Doctors have often achieved amazing results, as in the case of 11-year-old Jason.

case-by-case

considering each person’s situation separately

▪ 72-hour airport visas can be extended, but decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

▷ plight /plaɪt/ [singular noun] especially written

a very difficult, unpleasant, or dangerous situation that is difficult to escape from :

▪ Roy was sympathetic to her plight and offered to help her look for her daughter.

the plight of

▪ His chief concern is the plight of kids growing up in the ghettoes.

3. when a situation affects what happens or what you do

▷ under/in the circumstances /ˌʌndəʳ, ɪn ðə ˈsɜːʳkəmstænsə̇z/ [adverb]

use this to say that you think something should happen because of the situation now :

▪ Normally I would have gone straight home, but under the circumstances I thought I should check on my mother.

▪ Under the circumstances, I think the only thing you can do is apologize.

▪ In the circumstances, it might be better if I gave the lecture rather than you.

▷ given the situation/circumstances /ˌgɪv ə n ðə sɪtʃuˈeɪʃ ə n, ˈsɜːʳkəmstænsə̇z/ [adverb]

use this when you think that something is not surprising if you consider the situation it happened in :

▪ They tried to contact everyone and given the circumstances, I think they did very well.

▪ Given the situation, the police officer’s reaction is understandable.

▷ the way things are /ðə ˌweɪ θɪŋz ˈɑːʳ/

use this when you are saying that something is necessary, impossible, difficult etc because of the present situation, which is not very good :

▪ The way things are, we hardly ever manage to go out together except at the weekend.

▪ The way things are at work, I’m surprised more people haven’t quit.

▷ as it is /ˌæz ɪt ˈɪz/ [adverb]

use this when the situation now is different from the situation you expected or needed :

▪ We were hoping to finish by 5 o'clock, but as it is, we’ll be lucky to finish by 8!

▪ Why start an argument? You’re in enough trouble as it is!

▷ as things stand/the way things stand /ˌæz θɪŋz ˈstænd, ðə ˌweɪ θɪŋz ˈstænd/ [adverb]

use this when something happens, is true, or must be done because of the way the situation is now, although the situation may change in the future :

▪ People talk about the British constitution, but as things stand there is no real constitution.

▪ We may get a few more applicants, but the way things stand Mr. Davis looks like the best candidate.

▷ force of circumstances /ˌfɔːʳs əv ˈsɜːʳkəmstænsə̇z/ [noun phrase] especially British

if something happens by force of circumstances, it happens differently from the way you expect or intend because the situation has changed :

▪ By force of circumstances, I found myself having to share an office with my previous manager.

▪ Force of circumstances compelled the senator to retire in 1934.

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