| 释义 |
con·tin·gent
I. \kənˈtinjənt\ adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin contingent-, contingens, present participle of contingere to touch on all sides, happen, from com- + -tingere (from tangere to touch) — more at tangent
1. obsolete : in contact : touching
2. : of possible occurrence : likely but not certain to happen
< a bogey's alarum of contingent grave results — George Meredith >
3.
a. : happening by chance : affected by unforeseen causes or conditions : not patently necessary : unpredictable in occurrence or outcome
< a contingent event >
< floods contingent and unexpected >
b. : intended for use in exigent circumstances not completely foreseen
c. : unpredictable in outcome or effect because happening by chance and modified by unseen causes and unforeseen conditions
< speaks so scornfully of the contingent and tentative character of scientific knowledge — Sidney Hook >
4.
a. : dependent on, associated with, or conditioned by something else, sometimes indirectly or remotely
< the continuance of the latter is wholly contingent on the presence of the former — C.H.Grandgent >
b. : dependent for effect on or liable to modification by something that may or may not occur
< a contingent estate >
< a contingent legacy >
5. logic
a. : not necessary : not true a priori
b. of a proposition : capable of being proved true or false only by experience : empirical, factual
6. : not necessitated : free — used of human volition, action, or existence
Synonyms: see accidental
II. noun
(-s)
Etymology: in sense 1, from contingent (I); in other senses from French, from contingent, adjective
1.
a. : something that is contingent : contingency
b. : a chance occurrence : accident
c. : an extra salesperson who is available on call
2. : a quota (as one's part in a general contribution): as
a. : a number of personnel supplied to the armed forces from a section
< the Ohio contingent in the army >
b. : the military forces supplied by one combatant in an allied effort
< the British contingent in the Low Countries campaign >
3.
a. : a representational group
< the French contingent of Olympic athletes >
b. : any group distinguished from the other members of an assemblage or organization
< the Democratic contingent at the conference > |