context

Pluralcontexts

Formscontexts, contexting, contexted

1. 1
   backgroundnouncountable or uncountable

   The things around an event or a find that help you understand what it means.

   Like knowing what happened before a scene in a movie, so it finally makes sense.

   Without enough context, the joke made no sense to her.

   The teacher gave us some context before showing the old photo.

   UsageSay in the context of something, or put it in context.

   Note
2. 2
   surrounding wordsnouncountable or uncountable

   The words around a word or sentence that help show what it means.

   Like guessing a missing puzzle piece from the pieces around it.

   You can often guess a new word from its context in the sentence.

   Reading the word in context made its meaning clear.

   UsagePeople often say in context and out of context.

   Note
3. 3
   verbobsolete

   To tie or join things together tightly.

   The whole worlds frame, which is contexted onely by commerce and contracts.

   1638, Richard Younge, The Drunkard's CharacterHere, contexted means tied or joined tightly together.

   If the Subiect bee Historie, or contexted Fable, then I hold it better put in Prose, or Blanks: for ordinarie discourse neuer shewes so well in Meeter

   1623, Owen Feltham, Resolves: DivineHere, contexted means closely joined together, so the parts are woven into one story.

   Note

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