condition

 
Pronunciation: /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

  • 1 [mass noun, usually with adjective] the state of something with regard to its appearance, quality, or working order: the wiring is in good condition [in singular]: the bridge is in an extremely dangerous condition
  • a person’s or animal’s state of health or physical fitness: the baby was in good condition at birth [in singular]: she was in a serious condition
  • [count noun, often with modifier] an illness or other medical problem: a heart condition
  • [in singular] the situation in life of a particular group: the sorrows of the human condition
  • archaic social position: those of humbler condition
  • 2 (conditions) the circumstances or factors affecting the way in which people live or work, especially with regard to their well-being: harsh working and living conditions
  • the factors or prevailing situation influencing the performance or outcome of a process: present market conditions
  • the prevailing state of the weather, ground, or sea at a particular time, especially as it affects a sporting event: the appalling conditions determined the style of play
  • 3a situation that must exist before something else is possible or permitted: for a member to borrow money, three conditions have to be met all personnel should comply with this policy as a condition of employment

verb

[with object]
  • 1have a significant influence on or determine (the manner or outcome of something): national choices are conditioned by the international political economy
  • train or accustom to behave in a certain way or to accept certain circumstances: our minds are heavily conditioned and circumscribed by habit [with object and infinitive]: they are beliefs which he has been conditioned to accept (as noun conditioning) social conditioning
  • 2bring (something) into the desired state for use: a product for conditioning leather
  • (often as adjective conditioned) make (a person or animal) fit and healthy: he was six feet two of perfectly conditioned muscle and bone
  • (often as adjective conditioned) bring (beer) to maturation after fermentation while the yeast is still present: [in combination]: cask-conditioned real ales
  • [no object] (of a beer) become conditioned: brews that are allowed to condition in the bottle
  • 3apply a conditioner to (the hair): I condition my hair regularly
  • 4set prior requirements on (something) before it can occur or be done: Congressmen have sought to limit and condition military and economic aid

Phrases

in (or out of) condition

in a fit (or unfit) physical state: what difference should it make to the coach what I do after hours as long as I keep in condition? ‘I’m out of condition,’ she panted

in no condition to do something

certainly not fit or well enough to do something: you’re in no condition to tackle the stairs

on condition that

with the stipulation that: I got three years' probation, on condition that I stay at the hostel for a year

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French condicion (noun), condicionner (verb), from Latin condicio(n-) 'agreement', from condicere 'agree upon', from con- 'with' + dicere 'say'

Grammar

When writing or speaking we often wish to show that one event depends on another in some way: If the weather was fine, Maud liked to walk in Hyde Park. One statement, Maud liked to walk in Hyde Park, is conditional upon the other the weather was fine.Conditional clauses are usually introduced by either if or unless.They can express a number of different meanings.Common eventsThey can state general truths, such as: If water penetrates window sills, doors, or their frames, the result is wet rot. In sentences like this the verb is in the present tense. It is also possible to use the past tense to describe general truths about the past: If the weather was fine, Maud liked to walk in Hyde Park. Possible eventsConditional clauses can describe situations which have not yet happened, but are possible: If it comes to court, you two can testify. Here both verbs are in the present tense. Similar sentences can be constructed using unless: Policemen don’t find bodies unless they are sent to look for them or unless someone else has found them first. Here unless has the meaning of if…not…: Policemen don’t find bodies if they aren’t sent to look for them or if someone else hasn’t found them first. Future eventsVery often conditional clauses speculate about events in the future. Such clauses can be open or closed. In an open conditional the speaker expresses no opinion about whether the future event is likely to happen or not: If they succeed in that, Germany’s economy and its workers will be better off. (The writer has no opinion of whether they will succeed or not.) In a closed condition the writer makes it clear that the future event is more or less unlikely: If they were successful at this stage, they would then have to find the fee. (But they are not likely to be successful.)Past eventsConditional clauses can also be used to speculate about how things might have turned out in the past: If they had been her own children, she would have used them differently. But they weren't her own children, so she treated them as she did. The condition cannot be fulfilled because it is impossible.Clauses that are not introduced by a conjunctionIt is possible to construct conditional clauses that do not begin with if or unless. The commonest way of doing this is to begin the clause with one of these words: were should had For example: Were I to own a new BMW car, another ten microcomputers would be at my command, so their advertisements claim. Should you succeed in becoming a planner, you would be helping to create these parameters. Had I been in a vehicle, I could have gone back, but on foot it was not worth risking the wasted energy.