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Background vs Circumstance - What's the difference?

background | circumstance |

As nouns the difference between background and circumstance

is that background is one's social heritage; what one did in the past/previously while circumstance is that which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an attendant thing or state of things.

As verbs the difference between background and circumstance

is that background is to put in a position that is not prominent while circumstance is to place in a particular situation, especially with regard to money or other resources.

background

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • One's social heritage; what one did in the past/previously.
  • A part of the picture that depicts scenery to the rear or behind the main subject; context.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= William E. Conner
  • , title= An Acoustic Arms Race , volume=101, issue=3, page=206-7, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close
  • Information relevant to the current situation about past events; history.
  • A less important feature of scenery (as opposed to foreground).
  • (computing) The image or color, over which a computer's desktop items are shown (e.g. icons or application windows).
  • (computing) Activity on a computer that is not normally visible to the user.
  • Derived terms

    * on background * background fodder

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To put in a position that is not prominent
  • circumstance

    English

    Alternative forms

    * circumstaunce

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an attendant thing or state of things.
  • * Washington Irving
  • The circumstances are well known in the country where they happened.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=1 citation , passage=“The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached ; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas. […]”}}
  • An event; a fact; a particular incident.
  • * Addison
  • The sculptor had in his thoughts the conqoeror weeping for new worlds, or the like circumstances in history.
  • * 1834 , David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of , Nebraska 1987, p. 20:
  • Then another circumstance happened, which made a lasting impression on my memory, though I was but a small child.
  • Circumlocution; detail.
  • * Shakespeare
  • So without more circumstance at all / I hold it fit that we shake hands and part.
  • Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings.
  • * Addison
  • When men are easy in their circumstances , they are naturally enemies to innovations.

    Derived terms

    {{der3, attendant circumstance , extenuating circumstances , under no circumstance , under the circumstances}}

    Verb

    (circumstanc)
  • To place in a particular situation, especially with regard to money or other resources.
  • * 1858 , , Chapter 8:
  • Tidings had in some shape reached is ears that his father was not comfortably circumstanced as regarded money.
  • *