Forms: 4–6 condicion, with usual interchange of i and y, c and sc, o and ou, (5 condi(s)coun, -ducion); 5– condition. [ME. condicion, a. OF. condicion (condition), (cf. Pr. condicio, Sp. condicion, It. condizione), ad. L. condiciōn-em (in later times, through the running together of palatalized c and t, commonly spelt conditiōn-) a compact, stipulation, agreement upon terms; app. immediately related to condīcĕre to talk a thing over together, agree upon, f. con- together + dīcĕre to declare, tell, say, etc., weak stem dic- in -dicus, dicax, etc. (see DICT); cf. esp. diciōn- command, rule, sway, authority. It had already in Lat. the senses ‘situation, position, rank, circumstances, nature, manner,’ as in II. The spelling with t is rare in Eng. before 1550.
Kindred Lat. formations are capio, legio, regio, religio, obsidio, etc. The spelling conditio led to the notion that the word was a deriv. of L. condĕre, condit-: see CONDITE v.2]
I. A convention, stipulation, proviso, etc.
1. Something demanded or required as a prerequisite to the granting or performance of something else; a provision, a stipulation.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 64. Hit is wykked condicioun … ȝef he seyth ich wille the have … Ȝef thou deist suche a dede Of queade.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xlvii. 26. The preestis loond, that free was fro this condicioun.
14[?]. Purific. Marie, 128. Thys law … Ne was not put but by condycyon Only to hem that corupt weron by kynd.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 1. The condicyons requyred to a pilgrym.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 108. I had rather be a Countrie seruant maide Then a great Queene, with this condition.
1611. Bible, Luke xiv. 32. Hee sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. 213. He then, while he feared his owne life, stood upon no condition.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 759. Wilt thou enjoy the good, Then cavil the conditions?
1758. Wesley, Wks. (1872), X. 308. The word condition means neither more nor less than something sine quâ non, without which something else is not done.
1834. Medwin, Angler in W., II. 153. The conditions were that at a given signal the parties were to advance … and to fire when they pleased.
1871. B’ness Bunsen, in Hare, Life, II. vii. 416. In no case could France have obtained more favorable conditions.
b. On, upon († under, up, in, by, of, with) the (this, that, such, † a) condition that; now, usually, on condition that.
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 750. I telle hyt the up a condicioun That thou shalt hoolly [etc.]. Ibid. (c. 1381), Parl. Foules, 407. But natheles, in this condicioun … That she a-gre to his eleccioun.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 474. In condicioun … þat þow konne defende, And rule þi rewme in resoun.
c. 1400. Sowdone Bab., 607. Vppon a condicion I graunte the My doghter.
c. 1450. Merlin, xiv. 203. We be come to serue yow, with this condicion, that ye desire not to knowe oure names.
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon, xlv. 149. He wolde pardon hym on the condycyon that he shulde neuer after trespas hym.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Sam. xi. 2. I wil make a couenaunt with you, of [1611 on] this condicion, that I maye thrust out all youre right eyes.
1538. Starkey, England, I. iv. 115. Certayn landys were gyven … under such condycyon that [etc.].
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr., 102 a/2. To forbeare all the pleasures … with condicion that they might be free from the annoyaunce.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iii. 153. Vpon condition I may quietly Enioy mine owne … My daughter shall be Henries.
c. 1592. Marlowe, Jew of Malta, IV. v. Of that condition I will drink it up.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Prerog. Parl., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), IV. 309. [He] had the fifteenth penny of all goods given him, upon condition to confirm the great charter.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. xii. 100. Upon express condition, that he should say nothing.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. vii. (1857), 124. On the condition that they should not bear arms for six months against the Spaniards.
† c. Condition was used for on condition that. [cf. CAUSE conj. = because that.]
1600. Heywood, 1st Pt. Edw. IV., Wks. 1874, I. 51. I would I had not, condition she had all.
1602. Life T. Cromwell, V. iv. 124. It is too true Sir. Would ’twere otherwise, Condition I spent half the wealth I have.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. ii. 80. Condition I had gone bare-foote to India.
2. Law. In a legal instrument, e.g., a will, or contract, a provision on which its legal force or effect is made to depend.
Condition inherent, one attaching to the tenure of property, and descending therewith to the inheritor; c. precedent, one that must be fulfilled before the title, advantage, etc., affected by it can take effect; c. subsequent, one that remains to be performed after the title, etc., has come into operation, and the non-fulfilment of which may invalidate or extinguish the title or right. Conditions of sale, the provisions under which sale by auction takes place.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., I. xii. 53 b. Hee shall … observe such conditions as were annexed to the first donation.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 72. Condition is a restraint or bridle annexed and joyned to a thing, so that by the not performance or not doing thereof, the partie to the condition shall receive prejudice and losse, and by the performance and doing of the same, commoditie and advantage.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 448. Even in a deed there were no precise technical words required to make a condition precedent or subsequent.
1827. J. J. Powell, Devises (ed. 3), II. 251. Conditions, whether precedent or subsequent … consequences flowing from the distinction, considered.
b. Estate upon or in condition: one held subject to certain legal conditions.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 68 a. It is called estate uppon condicion, for thys that the estate of the feoffee is defensable if the condicyon bee not performed.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 201 a. Littleton hauing before spoken of Estates absolute, now beginneth to intreate of estates vpon Condition.
† 3. Agreement by settlement of terms; covenant, contract, treaty. Obs.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 336/4. Thenne the condycion made all thynges were made redy.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. xxviii. 15. Tush … as for hell we haue made a condicion with it … it shal not come vpon vs.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 504. They within were glad to render the towne upon condition.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 149. If you repaie me not on such a day, In such a place, such sum or sums as are Exprest in the condition.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IV. (1682), 133. He entred into a reasonable condition with me.
a. 1718. Penn, Tracts, Wks. 1726, I. 674. There is no Government in the World, but it must either stand upon Will and Power, or Condition and Contract.
4. Something that must exist or be present if something else is to be or take place; that on which anything else is contingent; a prerequisite.
1340. Ayenb., 193. Vour condicions … ssolle by ine elmesse, þe uerste is þet me hise yeue gledliche and mid guod herte.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 15. Þre condicouns mak martirdom faire, þat is to sai, riȝtwisnes of þe cause, charitable pacience of þe martir, an vnriȝtwisnes of þe persewar.
1675. Baxter, Cath. Theol., II. I. 17. You deny not that God knoweth from eternity whether the condition of each Event will it self be or not.
1770. Fletcher, Checks, Wks. 1795, II. 6. Salvation … not by the Merit of works, but by works, as a Condition.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., iv. 113. The condition of a successful school is the concentration of authority and responsibility on one head.
1875. Hamerton, Intell. Life, II. i. 46. Drudgery must be done. This is the condition of all work whatever, and it is the condition of all success.
b. (As contrasted with cause.) Each of the concurring antecedent circumstances viewed as contributory causes of a phenomenon.
1817. Coleridge, Biog. Lit., I. vii. 123. The air I breathe, is the condition of my life, not its cause.
1846. Mill, Logic, III. v. § 3. It is very common to single out one only of the antecedents under the denomination of Cause, calling the others merely Conditions. Ibid. The statement of the cause is incomplete, unless in some shape or other we introduce all the conditions.
1889. T. Fowler, Induct. Logic, 14. In assigning the cause of a phenomenon, it is seldom that the negative conditions are mentioned. Ibid., 15. What, when employing popular language, we dignify with the name of Cause is that condition which happens to be most prominent in our minds at the time.
c. pl. The whole affecting circumstances under which a being exists.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Voy. to Eng., Wks. (Bohn), II. 14. But under the best conditions, a voyage is one of the severest tests to try a man.
1871. Tyndall, Fragm. Sc., I. xii. 371. Geologists now aim to imitate … the conditions of nature.
1881. Romanes, in Fortn. Rev., Dec., 740. Environment … or the sum total of the external conditions of life.
d. A single affecting element or influence.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, II. viii. His arresting voice had brought a new condition into her life.
† 5. A restriction, qualification, or limitation.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 80. Sum þing men seien, witinge þat it is soþ, affermynge þe sentence wiþouten ony condicioun.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 56. She ansuered … yef we ete of this fruite peraventure we shulle deye, and thus she putte condicion in her ansuere.
1661. Bramhall, Just Vind., iii. 44. We are sorry for his sins under a condition, that is, in case they were true … But we are absolutely without condition glad of our own liberty.
1841. J. R. Young, Math. Dissert., ii. 36. To impose upon those values, be they innumerable or not, a new condition or restriction.
6. Logic and Grammar. A clause expressing a condition in sense 4; in Logic called also the antecedent, in Grammar the protasis, of a conditional proposition or sentence.
1864. Bowen, Logic, v. 128. All Hypothetical Judgments obviously consist of two parts, the first of which is called the Condition or Antecedent, and the second, the Consequent; and the assertion or Judgment is, that if the Condition exists, the Consequent follows.
1874. Roby, Lat. Gram., II. 240. A condition qualifying an infinitive.
7. Math., etc. The provisions or obligations that an expression or solution is required to fulfil. Equation of conditions: see quot.
1823. Crabbe, Technol. Dict., s.v., Equation of Conditions: certain equations in the Integral Calculus, of this form A/y = B/x, useful in ascertaining whether a proposed fluxion will admit of finite integration or a finite fluent.
1885. Leudesdorf, Cremona’s Proj. Geom., 183. There are four conics which satisfy the given conditions.
8. In U.S. Colleges, a technical term of the class system (see CLASS 3 b). Candidates for admission to any class, are examined on a fixed schedule of ‘studies’ or subjects, but may be admitted without passing in some of the subjects, on the condition that the requisite standard in these is attained within a given time. These studies or subjects in arrear are then called conditions.
1890. Catalog. Lafayette College, 20. Conditions.—Students entering with conditions are required to make them up before the end of the term following that of their admission.
Mod. Phelps was admitted with conditions; he has now made up or worked off his conditions. The Faculty assign him Conic Sections as a condition.
II. Mode of being, state, position, nature.
9. A particular mode of being of a person or thing; state of being. (Formerly sometimes in pl.: cf. circumstances.)
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 769. Alstyte als a man waxes alde Þan chaunges his complexcion And his maners and his condicion. Ibid., 805. Þus may men se … What þe condicions er of an ald man.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 274. Schortly to say, is nane can tell The halle condicioun off A threll.
1529. Wolsey, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 10. The miserable condycion, that I am presently yn.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. ii. 15. I will forget the condition of my estate, to reioyce in yours.
1605. Verstegan, Dec. Intell., viii. (1623), 261. The heyres vnto some good estates or conditions of liuing.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 208. The Bell is tolled to give notice of his dying condition.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 181. That he may know how frail His fall’n Condition is.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 10. Having both soul and body sound and in good condition.
1789. Bentham, Princ. Legisl., xviii. 26, note. We speak of the condition of a trustee as we speak of the condition of a husband or a father.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Brooke Farm, ii. 19. Enquiring into the condition of his clothes.
1856. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., I. iii. 75. No one … can doubt the vast influence which the condition of the body has on the temper.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 104. The three conditions of a solid, a liquid, and a gas … are physical states dependent mainly on Temperature.
1887. J. H. Gilbert, Lect. Growth Root Crops, 17. What is termed the condition of land, that is the readily available fertility due to recent accumulations.
† b. ellipt. State of matters, circumstance. In any condition: in any case, in any circumstances.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 245. He moste confessen hym of alle the condiciouns that bilongen to his synne.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 69. For she founde her avision Right after the condition, which he her hadde told to-fore.
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr. (1619), 632/1. That … hee doe in any condition return with him.
c. In condition (to do a thing); in a state, sufficiently equipped, prepared. Also out of condition.
1693. Mem. Cnt. Teckeley, IV. 63. The Christian Army … was in a condition not to be taken of a sudden.
1719. Mem. Lewis XIV., x. 241. And put them out of Condition to keep the Field.
1862. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt. (1865), III. VIII. ii. 5. The unhappy prodigal is in no condition to resist farther.
d. To change (alter) one’s condition: to get married. arch. or dial.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 522, ¶ 1. The chief motives to a prudent young woman of fortune for changing her condition.
1768. in Wesley’s Jrnl., 25 May (1827), III. 321. You have also thoughts of altering your condition; but if you marry him … it will draw you from God.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxvi. She expected him to say ‘Jenny, I am gaun to change my condition.’
10. State in regard to wealth, circumstances; hence, position with reference to the grades of society; social position, estate, rank.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, III. 440. A ryghte grete companye … Of alle … condiciouns … Poore and riche. Ibid. (c. 1386), Prol., 38.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. xi. (1495), 195. A seruyng woman … of bonde condycion.
1509. Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. 290. Suche as were of lesse condycyon maye encrease in hyer degre of noblenes.
1605. Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vows, II. § 42. I will cast downe my eyes to my inferiours, and there see better men in worse condition.
1610. Shaks., Temp., III. i. 59. I am, in my condition A Prince.
1662. Bk. Com. Prayer (Pickering, 1844), 56. All sorts and conditions of men.
1731. Pope, Ep. Burlington, 183. Honour and shame from no Condition rise; Act well your part, there all the Honour lies.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., II. i. (1857), 195. In the middle classes; and even in those of humbler condition.
† b. Formerly in pl. = Circumstances. Obs.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 206. The conditions of their families.
1640. F. Hawkins, Youths Behav., ii. (1663), 12. Artificers, and other persons of low conditions.
1692. trans. Sallust, 266. It will not be amiss, briefly to say something of his Conditions and Education.
c. Person of condition: i.e. of position, rank, or ‘quality.’ arch.
1673. Rules of Civility (ed. 2), 84. If we meet any person of condition in the street … we must always give him the Wall.
1723. Steele, Consc. Lovers, I. i. Dress’d like a Woman of Condition.
1780. Burke, Sp. Econ. Ref., Wks. 1842, I. 248. Men of condition naturally love to be about a court; and women of condition love it much more.
1823. Scott, Peveril, ix. Such satisfaction as is due from one gentleman of condition to another.
1859. Beaton, Creoles & Coolies, iii. 108. There were about … one hundred women of condition in the colony.
† 11. Mental disposition, cast of mind; character, moral nature; disposition, temper. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1433. He was so gentil of his condicioun, That thorughout al the court was his renoun.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, X. x. How be hit I loue not his condycyon, and fayne I wold be from hym.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), X viij. Women be of a ryght tendre condicion.
1611. Bible, 2 Macc. xv. 12. A vertuous, and a good man, reuerend in conuersation, gentle in condition, well spoken also.
[1700. Dryden, Fables, Pal. & Arc., 593. So gentle of condition was he known.]
† b. pl. Personal qualities; manners, morals, ways; behavior, temper. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 117. For truly I hold it grete deynte, A kyngis sone yn armes wel to do, And ben of good condicions þer to.
1388. Wyclif, 1 Kings xiv. 24. Men of wymmens condiciouns weren in the lond.
1483. Vulgaria abs Terentio, 18 b. I vnderstonde that thow haste amendid thy condicyonns.
1525. Skelton, Agst. Garnesche, 12. Ye have knavysche condycyouns.
1530. Palsgr., 208/1. Condycions, maners, meurs.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretarie (1625), 132. The very True and worthy conditions and behaviours, that rightly doe produce and make a Gentleman.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. iii. § 20. II. 204. Her peruerse conditions made her husband seeke other wiues and Concubines.
1636. Featly, Clavis Myst., xx. 258. To breake their scholars of ill conditions.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 84. He said that Mercy was a pretty lass, but troubled with ill Conditions.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 71, ¶ 14. By the words ill conditions, James means, in a woman coquetry, in a man inconstancy.
1830. Scott, Diary, 24 Dec. This morning died … Miss Bell Fergusson, a woman of the most excellent conditions.
† 12. Nature, character, quality. Obs.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., 25. In soth, thou shalt fynde but 2 degrees in al the zodiak of that condicioun.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 90. Which [gamut] techeth the prolacion Of note and the condition.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xviii. 81. For men of Inde er of þat condicioun [Fr. de tiele nature] þat þai passe noȝt comounly oure of þaire awen land.
1484. Caxton, Curiall, 2. Thynges whyche of theyr owne condicion ben more to be mesprised than they that ben shewde by the lyf of another.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretarie, I. (1625), 109. A man shaped as you see, and as bold in condition as he appeareth in shew.
† 13. A characteristic, property, attribute, quality (of men or things). Obs.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 85. Hard chese hathe þis condicioun in his operacioun.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 41. He hadde som condicions of a dogge.
1509. Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. 291. These & many other suche noble condycyons lefte vnto her by her Auncetres she kepte.
1530. Palsgr., 208/1. Condicyon a propertie, proprieté.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 273. Heere is the Cate-log of her Conditions.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Loup, The wolfe went to Rome, and left some of his coat, but none of his conditions, behind him.
1632. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 177. Excellency of judgement … more … than any other condition whatsoever.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 77. The Conditions, or Qualities we ought to observe in the Bark are [etc.].
14. techn. (from 9) a. = Proper or good condition for work, market, etc.
1846. Youatt, Horse, 465. If the nourishing property of the hay has been impaired … the animal will … lose condition.
1852. Smedley, L. Arundel, xxiii. 172. If he gets cut of condition … it always brings him right again.
1860. All Y. Round, No. 66. 384. Philip tugged like a Trojan, but his want of condition told terribly.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., xxii. (ed. 3), 293. Great merits for bringing stock into condition.
1890. Daily News, 28 Jan., 6/3. At Mark-lane to-day English wheat out of condition was unsaleable.
b. Hop-growing. The fine yellow powder that contains the bitter aromatic principle that gives hops their value for brewing; the lupulin.
1830. M. Donovan, Dom. Econ., I. 163. Dealers … value the hops in proportion to the quantity of this powder which they call condition.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 302. No hop should be gathered till the seed is matured; not for the sake of the seed itself, but the nectarium, or farina, technically known as the ‘condition,’ will be in larger particles, and its essential aromatic and bitter qualities more perfectly developed when ripe.
