SITUATION


Meaning of SITUATION in English

/ ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃn; NAmE / noun

1.

all the circumstances and things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place :

to be in a difficult situation

You could get into a situation where you have to decide immediately.

We have all been in similar embarrassing situations.

the present economic / financial / political, etc. situation

He could see no way out of the situation.

In your situation, I would look for another job.

What we have here is a crisis situation.

I'm in a no-win situation (= whatever I do will be bad for me) .

2.

( formal ) the kind of area or surroundings that a building or town has :

The town is in a delightful situation in a wide green valley.

➡ note at environment

3.

( old-fashioned or formal ) a job :

Situations Vacant (= the title of the section in a newspaper where jobs are advertised)

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SYNONYMS

situation

circumstances ♦ position ♦ conditions ♦ the case ♦ state of affairs

These are all words for the conditions and facts that are connected with and affect they way things are.

situation

all the things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place:

the present economic situation

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:

The ship sank in mysterious circumstances.

position

the situation that sb is in, especially when it affects what they can and cannot do:

She felt she was in a position of power.

conditions

the circumstances in which people live, work or do things; the physical situation that affects how sth happens:

We were forced to work outside in freezing conditions.

circumstances or conditions?

Circumstances refers to sb's financial situation; conditions are things such as the quality and amount of food or shelter they have. The circumstances that affect an event are the facts surrounding it; the conditions that affect it are usually physical ones, such as the weather.

the case

the true situation:

If that is the case (= if the situation described is true) , we need more staff.

state of affairs

a situation:

How did this unhappy state of affairs come about?

situation or state of affairs?

State of affairs is mostly used with this . It also occurs with adjectives describing how good or bad a situation is, such as happy , sorry , shocking , sad and unhappy , as well as those relating to time, such as present and current . Situation is much more frequent and is used in a wider variety of contexts.

PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :

to be in (a) particular situation / circumstances / position / state of affairs

the / sb's economic / financial / social situation / circumstances / position / conditions

an awkward / embarrassing situation / position / state of affairs

to be faced with a situation / circumstances / a position / conditions / a state of affairs

A situation / state of affairs arises / develops / improves / changes / deteriorates.

Circumstances / conditions arise / develop / improve / change / deteriorate.

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WORD ORIGIN

late Middle English (in sense 2): from French , or from medieval Latin situatio(n-) , from situare to place (see situate ). Sense 1 dates from the early 18th cent.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.