con ‧ ven ‧ tion W2 AC /kənˈvenʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin conventio , from convenire ; ⇨ ↑ convenient ]
1 . [countable] a large formal meeting for people who belong to the same profession or organization or who have the same interests:
a teachers’ convention
the city’s new convention center
a convention for science fiction fans
2 . [countable] a formal agreement, especially between countries, about particular rules or behaviour SYN pact , treaty
convention on
the European convention on human rights
3 . [uncountable and countable] behaviour and attitudes that most people in a society consider to be normal and right SYN custom :
Playing together teaches children social conventions such as sharing.
They defied the conventions of the time by living together without being married.
by convention
By convention, the bride’s father gives her away at her wedding.
4 . [countable] a method or style often used in literature, art, the theatre etc to achieve a particular effect:
the conventions of the 19th-century novel
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ adjectives
▪ a social/cultural convention
Each society has its own cultural conventions.
▪ an established convention (=one that has been used for a long time)
There are established conventions for how you should end a letter.
▪ an accepted convention
Saying 'thank you' and 'please' is an accepted convention.
■ verbs
▪ defy convention (=not do what is accepted or normal)
At the time she was defying convention by living with a man.
▪ follow convention (=do what is accepted and normal)
If everyone followed convention, the world would be a boring place.
▪ conform to/adhere to convention formal (=do what is accepted and normal)
He’d always chosen not to conform to convention.
▪ flout convention (=deliberately not do what is accepted or normal)
I was determined to flout convention when it came to the funeral arrangements.
■ phrases
▪ a set of conventions
In the East you will have to learn a different set of conventions.
▪ rules and conventions
Rules and conventions permeate the whole of social life.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ meeting an occasion when people meet in order to discuss something:
a business meeting.
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Mr Bell is in a meeting.
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The committee will hold another meeting Wednesday.
▪ conference an organized event, especially one that continues for several days, at which a lot of people meet to discuss a particular subject and hear speeches about it:
Didn’t you give a talk at the conference last year?
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a conference of women business leaders
▪ convention a large formal meeting of people who belong to a political party, or to an organization of people with the same interests:
the Democratic Party Convention
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a convention for Star Trek fans
▪ rally a large public meeting, especially one that is held outdoors to support or protest about something:
There was a massive peace rally in London.
▪ summit a meeting between government leaders from important and powerful countries, to discuss important matters:
A summit meeting of OPEC leaders was called to find a solution to the oil crisis.
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next week’s economic summit
▪ caucus American English a local meeting of the members of a political party to choose people to represent them at a larger meeting, or to choose a candidate in an election:
Obama won the Iowa caucus in 2007.
▪ teleconference/video conference a business meeting in which people in different places talk to each other using telephones or video equipment:
The chairman held teleconferences with his senior managers.
▪ gathering/get-together a situation in which a group of people come together to meet, talk, and have drinks with each other, especially friends or family:
We held a small family get-together to celebrate her birthday.
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She arranged social gatherings in Kettering for young people on Saturday evenings.
▪ date an arrangement to meet someone who you are having, or hoping to have, a romantic relationship with:
I think I might ask her out on a date.
▪ rendezvous a meeting where two people have arranged to meet at a particular time or place, often secretly:
She arranged a rendezvous with him in the hotel bar.
▪ tryst literary a secret meeting between people who are having a romantic relationship:
a good place for a moonlight tryst