context

plural contexts

1. countableuncountableThe surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.

   —In what context did your attack on him happen? —We had a pretty tense relationship at the time, and when he insulted me I snapped.

   1 more example

   The display and result must be placed in the context that was it was against a side that looked every bit their Fifa world ranking of 141 - but England completed the job with efficiency to record their biggest away win in 19 years.

   2012 September 7, Phil McNulty, “Moldova 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms: frame, framework, background, backdrop, setting, purlieus, milieu

2. countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe text in which a word or passage appears and which helps ascertain its meaning.

   Without context, I can't tell if dish refers to a plate, or to the food served thereon.

3. countableuncountablearchaeologyThe surroundings and environment in which an artifact is found and which may provide important clues about the artifact's function and/or cultural meaning.
4. countableuncountablebiologyThe trama or flesh of a mushroom.
5. countableuncountablehuman sciencesFor a formula: a finite set of variables, which set contains all the free variables in the given formula.
6. countableuncountablecomputingThe data (register contents, program counter value, etc.) needed to switch to another thread of execution.

present singular third person contexts · participle present contexting · participle past contexted · past contexted

1. obsoleteTo knit or bind together; to unite closely.

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

   1638, Richard Younge, The Drunkard's Character: Or, a True Drunkard with Such Sinnes as Raigne in Him

   1 more example

   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: Divine, Moral, Political

comparative more context · superlative most context

1. obsoleteKnit or woven together; close; firm.

   1541?, Robert Copland (translator?), Guydon's Questionary Chirurgical, translation of 1533, Guy de Chauliac, La questionaire des cirugiens at barbiers The skynne is composed & context and woven with thredes and vaynes.

   2 more examples

   And though he could describe how such a string may be context, yet our Explication will have this advantage in point of probability above his, ...

   1662, Robert Boyle, New Experiments Physico-mechanical, Touching the Spring of the Air, and its Effects, page 73

   the coats, without, are context and callous, firm and strong.

   1711-12, William Derham, Physico-theology: Or, A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, from His Works of Creation (3rd edition, corrected, 1714, page 110)