Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Contingency"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Contingency \Con*tin"gen*cy\, n.; pl. {Contingencies}. [Cf. F.
contingence.]
1. Union or connection; the state of touching or contact.
``Point of contingency.'' --J. Gregory.

2. The quality or state of being contingent or casual; the
possibility of coming to pass.

Aristotle says we are not to build certain rules on
the contingency of human actions. --South.

3. An event which may or may not occur; that which is
possible or probable; a fortuitous event; a chance.

The remarkable position of the queen rendering her
death a most important contingency. --Hallam.

4. An adjunct or accessory. --Wordsworth.

5. (Law) A certain possible event that may or may not happen,
by which, when happening, some particular title may be
affected.

Syn: Casualty; accident; chance.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

contingency
n 1: a possible event or occurrence or result [syn: {eventuality}]
2: the state of being contingent on something


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