[cir.cum.stance] n [ME, fr. OF, fr. L circumstantia, fr. circumstant-, circumstans, prp. of circumstare to stand around, fr. circum- + stare to stand--more at stand] (13c) 1 a: a condition, fact, or event accompanying, conditioning, or determining another: an essential or inevitable concomitant "the weather is a ~ to be taken into consideration" b: a subordinate or accessory fact or detail "cost is a minor ~ in this case" c: a piece of evidence that indicates the probability or improbability of an event (as a crime) "the ~ of the missing weapon told against him" "the ~s suggest murder"
2. a: the sum of essential and environmental factors (as of an event or situation) "constant and rapid change in economic ~ --G. M. Trevelyan" b: state of affairs: eventuality "open rebellion was a rare ~"--often used in pl. "a victim of ~s" c pl: situation with regard to wealth "he was in easy ~s"
3: attendant formalities and ceremonial "pride, pomp, and ~ of glorious war --Shak."
4: an event that constitutes a detail (as of a narrative or course of events) "considering each ~ in turn" syn see occurrence