2 meanings
(click/touch triangles for details)
1 —as in:
the Canadian contingent
Definition
a sub-group united by something in commonin various senses, including:
- a squad of soldiers sent to do a job
- members of an association at a convention of many associations
- all the women at a meeting with women and men
- Each nation sent a contingent of athletes to the Olympics.
contingent = group
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- The peacekeeping force includes a British contingent.
- the Annex contingent and the Supply Corps all mixed up together, and that in the middle of the day!Anne Frank -- The Diary of a Young Girl
- But the rest of the team, he said — the MaddAddamite contingent — was confined to base for the duration.Margaret Atwood -- Oryx and Crake
- At the corner of Arlington Street our contingent got out and strolled into the Green Park.Bram Stoker -- Dracula
- They left a small headquarters contingent behind as they moved out.Walter Dean Myers -- Fallen Angels
- The male members of the van Daan contingent have built a very handy wood-stained food safe, with real screens.Anne Frank -- The Diary of a Young Girl
- A good example of the explicit warnings of the male contingent is the following conversation with Jan: Annex: "We're afraid that when the Germans retreat, they'll take the entire population with them."Anne Frank -- The Diary of a Young Girl
- Then the Rum Alley contingent turned slowly in the direction of their home street.Crane, Stephen -- Maggie: A Girl of the Streets
- Applause, and a round of "wunderschoning" and "prachtvolleying" from the German contingent.Forster, E. M. -- Howards End
contingent = group
contingent = group
contingent = group
contingent = group
contingent = a sub-group united by something in common
contingent = group
contingent = group
2 —as in:
contingent upon
Definition
determined by conditions or circumstances not yet established- We made an offer to buy the house, but the offer is contingent upon our selling our existing home before closing the sale on the new one.
contingent = determined by conditions or circumstances not yet established
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- They had to plan for contingent expenses.
- Kids came and went, desks filled and emptied, friendship was always contingent.Margaret Atwood -- Oryx and Crake
- Language itself had lost its solidity; it had become thin, contingent, slippery, a viscid film on which he was sliding around like an eyeball on a plate.Margaret Atwood -- Oryx and Crake
- He is mad about being small when you were big, but no, that's not it, he is mad about being helpless when you were powerful, but no, not that either, he is mad about being contingent when you were necessary, not quite it, he is insane because when he loved you, you didn't notice.Jon Krakauer -- Into the Wild
- arms sales contingent on the approval of congress
- Let us, then, look at this matter, along with some interesting items contingent.Melville, Herman -- Moby Dick LXVIII-CXXXIV
contingent = determined by conditions or circumstances not yet established
contingent = determined by conditions or circumstances not yet established
contingent = determined by conditions or circumstances