ˌsichəˈwāshən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French, from Medieval Latin situation-, situatio, from situatus (past participle of situare to place) + Latin -ion-, -io -ion
1.
a. : the way in which something is placed in relation to its surroundings
its insular situation made it readily accessible — Kemp Malone
in some spelling situations letters represent no sounds — ABC Language Arts Bulletin
b. : site
so uneasy … that we thought of removing our situation — Daniel Defoe
c. archaic : locality , spot
small rancho in a lonely spot … the situation was also wild and solitary — W.H.Hudson †1922
2. obsolete : act of situating, settling, or occupying
3.
a. archaic : state of health
the flesh of the bear in this situation … is inferior — E.H.Criswell
b. : state of pregnancy
the woman should have concealed her situation — Sir Walter Scott
4.
a. : position or place of employment : post , job
rise in help, situation wanted ads — Nation's Business
b. : position in life : status
striving to better his situation
5.
a. : position with respect to conditions and circumstances
the rebels' military situation appeared to be hopeless
in the unpleasant situation of having to choose between two evils
b. : the sum total of internal and external stimuli that act upon an organism within a given time interval
c. : the total set of physical, social, and psychocultural factors that act upon an individual in orienting and conditioning his behavior
6.
a. : relative position or combination of circumstances at a given moment
how to behave in unexpected situations
daily reports on the situation at each stage of the campaign
the situation seemed to call for a general retreat
a situation map attached to the report
b. : a critical, trying, or unusual state of affairs
in the event of a recession … to arouse the people to the need of using their own ingenuity to meet the situation — Paul Wooton
often : problem
no human situation is simple, has one cause and one cure — D.W.Brogan
c. : a particular or striking complex of affairs at a stage in the action of a narrative or drama : crisis , climax
highly contrived and implausible situations
Synonyms: see state