CONTINGENCY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does contingency mean? 

• CONTINGENCY (noun)
  The noun CONTINGENCY has 2 senses:

1. a possible event or occurrence or result

2. the state of being contingent on something

  Familiarity information: CONTINGENCY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONTINGENCY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A possible event or occurrence or result

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

contingence; contingency; eventuality

Hypernyms ("contingency" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Derivation:

contingent (possible but not certain to occur)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The state of being contingent on something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("contingency" is a kind of...):

dependance; dependence; dependency (the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else)

Derivation:

contingent (uncertain because of uncontrollable circumstances)

contingent (being determined by conditions or circumstances that follow)

 Context examples 

The contract may not cover a particular contingency that could cause problems down the road.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Coverage by contract whereby one part indemnifies or guarantees another against loss by a specified contingency.

(Insurance, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

NOTE(S): A PlannedActivity may be a container of other activities and have a complex structure involving components, options and contingencies using the associated relationship classes.

(Planned Clinical Study Activity, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

Here all other contingencies have failed.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

NOTE(S): The DefinedObservationResult class can be used to represent defined ranges for contingencies by constraining the result attribute from ANY to IVLPQ, for instance, or any other range value.

(Defined Observation Result, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

When he had told us so much he went on:—Frankly we did our best to prevent such a testamentary disposition, and pointed out certain contingencies that might leave her daughter either penniless or not so free as she should be to act regarding a matrimonial alliance.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Do you imagine it to be the consequence of an immediate commission from him, or that he may have sent only a general direction, an order indefinite as to time, to depend upon contingencies and conveniences?

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Either way, you seem to need contingency funds to cover everyday living expenses and anything you might owe others.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Banks become demanding, clients withhold payments, and the need for contingency funds often becomes vital to help you over the hump until promised money arrives.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)