context

Definition

  • noun: the words that are used with a certain word or phrase and that help to explain its meaning
  • noun: the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning
  • synonyms: close, firm, close

Examples

  • To find the meaning of an unknown word you should look at the 'contextual clues' provided by the words that are around it.

  • To really know a word, you must be able to use it 'in context'. [=in a sentence with other words]

  • When taken 'out of context', his comments sound cruel, but he was really only joking.

Movie clips

Movie quotes

  • (..) We're fine, we used to be married, but he couldn't handle me, he wanted to put me on Prozac and now he's in love with his laptop. Yeah you listen to the context conversation... I was trying to say is... You wanted to have a wYeahe without the challenges of actually dealing with anything real. (..)
    2013 Her