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# context

noun (a context, contexts; also uncountable: context)

«context» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The context of a word or sentence is the words and sentences around it that help you understand what it means. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#m1)
2. The context of an event is the situation, background or facts around it that help explain why it happened. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#m2)
3. «Out of context» means taken away from its surroundings, so the meaning is changed or unfair. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#m3)

### In the lessons

In reading lessons pupils use context clues to work out the meaning of a new word: «The arid desert had no water at all» shows that «arid» means very dry. In history lessons, putting events «in context» means understanding the time and place. In media lessons, a quote or video «taken out of context» can be misleading. In maths word problems, the context is the real-life story around the sum. Phrases: in context, out of context, context clues, historical context, in this context.

### Examples

- Use the context to guess what the new word means. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x1)
- In this context, «bat» means an animal, not a cricket bat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x2)
- The video was cut and shown out of context. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x3)
- Our teacher gave us the historical context of the war. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x4)
- The context of the story is a village during a flood. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x5)
- Read the sentences around it for context. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x6)
- His words sounded rude out of context, but he was joking. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x7)
- Put the number into context: is it a lot or a little? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x8)
- While gird does not seem to be the right word in this context, it's unclear what the author really intended--possibly gibe?--so it is left as printed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/#x9)

### Note

Usually a countable noun (different contexts), but often uncountable (some context, more context). Pronounced «KON-tekst». Adjective: «contextual». Many English words have more than one meaning, and only the context tells you which is meant (bank, bat, right, light).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «context» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/context/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«context» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/context.html) on Mova free.