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CONTEXT
CONTEXT.
1. Also co-text. The speech, writing, or print that normally precedes and follows a word or other element of language. The meaning of words may be affected by their context. If a phrase is quoted out of context, its effect may be different from what was originally intended. 2. The linguistic, situational, social, and cultural environment of an element of language, an action, behaviour, etc. Technically, the occurrence of a word in a linguistic context is said to be determined by collocational or selectional restrictions: the use of rancid with butter and bacon, of flock with sheep and birds, of pack with dogs, wolves, and cards. Generally, such association is largely or wholly determined by meaning (drink milk/beer, eat bread/meat), but meaning can be affected by collocation: white as in white wine, white coffee, and white people. Non-linguistic context is often referred to as situation, and meaning expressed in terms of context is reference (in contrast with SENSE, which exists in and among language elements regardless of context). To illustrate the meaning of ram by pointing to a picture or an animal is to use context, but to define it as male sheep in contrast with ewe is to do so by means of sense. See SEMANTICS. |
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TOM McARTHUR. "CONTEXT." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. TOM McARTHUR. "CONTEXT." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-CONTEXT.html TOM McARTHUR. "CONTEXT." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-CONTEXT.html |
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context
con·text / ˈkänˌtekst/ • n. the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed: the decision was within the context of planned spending. ∎ the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning. PHRASES: in context considered together with the surrounding words or circumstances. out of context without the surrounding words or circumstances and so not fully understandable: comments that aides have long insisted were taken out of context.DERIVATIVES: con·text·less adj. con·tex·tu·al / kənˈtekschoōəl/ adj. con·tex·tu·al·ly adv. |
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Cite this article
"context." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "context." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-context.html "context." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-context.html |
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Context
CONTEXTThe language that precedes and follows a series of words, such as a particular sentence or clause. The context of a legal document is often scrutinized to shed light upon the intent of an ambiguous or obscure sentence or clause so that it may be interpreted as its drafter intended. |
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"Context." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Context." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437701113.html "Context." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437701113.html |
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context
context †construction, composition XV; connected structure of a composition or passage, parts immediately before and after a given passage XVI. — L. contextus, f. context-, pp. stem of contexere weave together, f. CON- + texere weave.
Hence contextual XIX. |
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T. F. HOAD. "context." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "context." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-context.html T. F. HOAD. "context." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-context.html |
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context
context A type of tissue that constitutes a fungal fruit body.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "context." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "context." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-context.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "context." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-context.html |
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context
context
•Bakst, unrelaxed
•next, oversexed, sext, text, undersexed
•teletext • context • subtext
•hypertext
•betwixt, unmixed
•suffix
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Cite this article
"context." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "context." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-context.html "context." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-context.html |
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