[f. as prec. with later form of suffix: see -ENCY.]
I. † 1. = CONTINGENCE 1. Obs.
a. 1646. J. Gregory, Posthuma (1650), 39. When the Sun shall com to L the Point of Contingencie … then the Shadow of the Style shall cut the Horizon in M.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. vi. 119. Though they [two spheres] were contiguous only in the point of contingency.
2. Close connection or affinity of nature; close relationship.
In Sc. Law, connection between two or more processes, such that the circumstances of one are likely to throw light on the others, in which case that first enrolled is considered as the leading process, to which the others may be remitted ob contingentiam.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., iv. Notes 73. As well from identitie of countryship … as from contingencie of blood twixt the Engle-Saxon Kings and the Norman Dukes.
1861. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 224. If cases having a contingency are enrolled the same week, that enrolled before the senior Lord Ordinary is deemed the leading process.
1868. Act 31–32 Vict., c. 100 § 74. If … the said Lord Ordinary … shall be of opinion that there is contingency between the said processes.
II. 3. The quality or condition of being contingent.
a. The condition of being liable to happen or not in the future; uncertainty of occurrence or incidence.
1635. Wentworth, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 276. III. 283. Things in contingencye are never more then probable.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. iii. (1686), 9. Considering the Contingency in their Events.
1765. Sterne, Tr. Shandy (1802), VIII. xix. 154. ’Twas a matter of contingency, which might happen or not.
1827. Jarman, Powell’s Devises, II. 217. Where an estate in remainder is limited in terms of contingency, on the happening of certain events.
1873. H. Spencer, Stud. Sociol., xiii. 325. The contingency of the results is so great, that definite relations of antecedents and consequents cannot be established.
b. The befalling or occurrence of anything without preordination; chance; fortuitousness.
1623. Cockeram, Contingency, chance.
1704. J. Trapp, Abra-Mulé, I. ii. 256. Our Prophet … leaves our Empire to be steer’d at random By blind Contingency.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, II. iii. (ed. 4), 63. This contingency, this efficient nothing, this effectual No-Cause.
1813. Shelley, Q. Mab, VI. 170. All seems unlinked contingency and chance.
c. The condition of being free from predetermining necessity in regard to existence or action; hence, the being open to the play of chance, or of free will.
1561. Sc. Confession of Faith, iii. Nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 3. There can be no Contingency in their Actions, because all Volitions are determined by a Necessary antecedent Understanding.
1687. H. More, App. Antid., vi. (1712), 193. The Idea … intimates nothing either of the Necessity or Contingency of the Existence of the Substance of this Being.
1796. Bp. Watson, Apol. Bible, x. 368. If his omniscience enables him to know them, what think you of the Contingency of human actions?
1847. Hamilton, Reid’s Wks., 977/1. Others admitted absolute necessity—no contingency—no liberty.
1877. E. Caird, Philos. Kant, II. xvi. 587. Beneath the play of contingency in the phenomenal world, there is an absolutely necessary Being in the intelligible world.
d. The quality or condition of being subject to chance and change, or of being at the mercy of accidents.
1858. Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims, Pers. Poetry, Wks. (Bohn), III. 238. [In the desert] life hangs on the contingency of a skin of water.
1861. E. Garbett, Boyle Lect., 13. The contents of the Scriptures do not depend for their existence, or their obligation, on the contingency of human belief.
4. A chance occurrence; an event the occurrence of which could not have been, or was not, foreseen; an accident, a casualty. Future contingency: a thing that may or may not happen.
1616. Donne, Serm. Prov. xxii. 11. Exposed to the disposition of the tyde, to the rage of the winde, to the wantonness of the eddy, and to innumerable contingencies.
1620. Melton, Astrolog., 53. Drawing from the starres the euents of future contingencies.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. (1843), 5/2. He [King James] knew not how to wrestle with desperate Contingencies.
1745. De Foe’s Eng. Tradesman (1841), I. xix. 182. Life, and all the contingencies of life, are subjected to the dominion of providence.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), I. 76. The second time we had been left together by a parcel of nonsensical contingencies.
1819. Shelley, Cenci, III. ii. Are we the fools of such contingencies?
b. A conjuncture of events occurring without design; a juncture.
1806. Southey, Lett. (1856), I. 367. One such contingency indeed certainly happened at Devizes some thirty years ago.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. ii. 126. Advantage might be taken of some political contingency for a private arrangement.
1860. Motley, Netherl. (1868), I. i. 20. He was far superior to the States at this contingency.
5. An event conceived or contemplated as of possible occurrence in the future.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law, xx. 71. If the first parties have put it in the power of a third person, or of a contingency, to give a perfection to their acts.
a. 1734. North, Life J. North (1826), III. 258. To weigh the contingencies of life, and possibilities of good or evil that may concern them.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. ii. 135. The express contingency had arisen which was contemplated in the constitution of the canon law.
1868. Gladstone, Juv. Mundi, ii. (1870), 51. Poludamas, speaking of the possible destruction of the Greek army in Troas, thus describes that contingency.
b. A possible or uncertain event on which other things depend or are conditional; a condition that may be present or absent.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angells, 161. They [worldly hopes] are built upon uncertainties and contingencies.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., Pref. The Compleat Finishing and Publication of them, will … depend upon many Contingencies.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 474. Where the devisor … gives a future estate of freehold, to arise either upon a contingency, or at a period certain.
6. A thing or condition of things contingent or dependent upon an uncertain event.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), II. v. 84. All the princes of Hesse or Saxony had reciprocal contingencies of succession, or what our lawyers call cross-remainders, to each other’s dominions.
1862. Trollope, Orley F., ii. (ed. 4), 10. They had received their fortunes, with some settled contingencies to be forthcoming on their father’s demise.
7. A thing incident to something else; an uncertain incident; an incidental expense, etc.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law, viii. Any accessory before the fact is subiect to all the contingencies pregnant of the fact, if they bee pursuances of the same fact.
1663. Pepys, Diary, 3 April. The charge of this year’s work of the Mole will be £13,000, besides … the fortifications and contingencys, which puts us to a great stand. Ibid. (1667), 11 April. Despatched the business of Balty’s 1500£ he received for the contingencies of the fleete.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ., Prol. All the effects of strangers … dying in France are seized by virtue of this law … The profit of these contingencies being farmed, there is no redress.
1817. Cobbett, Pol. Reg., 15 Feb., 204. All the other various and ever-varying contingencies of marriage, number of children, etc.
† 8. = CONTINGENT B. 5. Obs. rare.
1723. Lond. Gaz., No. 6130/2. Not having paid a Penny of the several Contingencies they are obliged to.
