coincidencen.
/kəʊˈɪnsɪdəns/ 1. figurative and in extended use.1650 T. Fuller Pisgah-sight of Palestine App. 193 By a casuall coincidence some straggling words of the Athenians may meet in the mouths of the veriest Barbarians.1850 R. W. Emerson Plato in Representative Men ii. 77 The rare coincidence, in one ugly body, of the droll and the martyr.
a. The fact or condition of being coincident; the occupation of the same place or part of space.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > [noun] > occupying the same space
coincidence1626
penetration1646
penetrability1777
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §224 There can be no Coincidence in the Eye, or Visuall Point.
1715 G. Cheyne Philos. Princ. Relig. (ed. 2) i. v. 227 The Coincidence of the Planes, of the Orbits, with that of the Ecliptick.
1855 D. Brewster Mem. Life I. Newton (new ed.) I. x. 222 The singleness of the picture arises from the coincidence of the two pictures.
1866 R. M. Ferguson Electricity 33 This want of coincidence of the points of vertical dip and of maximum intensity.
b. (with plural) A case of coincidence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > [noun] > occupying the same space > a case of
coincidence1837
1837 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. I. iii. iv. 198 The method of making visual coincidences.
1880 Adams in Times 28 Dec. 10/2 The new line-spectra, the real basic lines of those substances which show coincidences.
2. Occurrence or existence at the same time; simultaneous occurrence or existence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > simultaneity or contemporaneousness > [noun]
synchronism1588
concurrency1597
concurrence1605
contemporationa1638
contemporaneity1644
coincidence1650
simultaneitya1651
contemporaneousness1662
contermination1673
simulty1677
simultaneousness1786
coinstantaneitya1834
coinstantaneousness1848
onceness1866
synchrony1880
consentaneousness1882
synchroneity1909
1650 T. Fuller Pisgah-sight of Palestine iii. 416 There might be a casuall coincidence of this feast, and his presence at Jerusalem.
1681 H. More Plain Expos. Daniel 257 There is a Coincidence, at least of time.
1722 S. Wesley in E. Clarke Life (1886) 130 There hardly ever was a greater coincidence of unprosperous events in one family.
1837 H. Martineau Society in Amer. III. 297 A happy coincidence of outward plenty with liberal institutions.
1878 T. H. Huxley Physiography (ed. 2) xx. 342 The coincidence of twelve by the clock with noon by the sun-dial..is exact only four times in the year.
3.
a. Exact agreement or correspondence in substance, nature, character, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > [noun] > exact
coincidence1605
unison1606
coincidencya1620
tallying1845
1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Ff1v Is there not a true coincidence betweene commutatiue and distributiue Iustice, and Arithmeticall and Geometricall proportion? View more context for this quotation
a1716 R. South Serm. Several Occasions (1744) VII. 89 Those who discourse metaphysically of the nature of truth..affirm a perfect coincidence between truth and goodness.
1855 D. Brewster Mem. Life I. Newton (new ed.) II. xxiv. 352 The coincidence of the religious views of Sir Isaac Newton with those of John Locke.
1876 G. Grote Fragm. Ethical Subj. iii. 58 These two ends of action are sometimes found in conflict, but more frequently in coincidence.
b. (with plural) An instance of such agreement or correspondence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > [noun] > an instance of
convenience1534
concordance1605
congruity1605
congruency1615
concinnity1640
coincidencea1661
consistency1771
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Bucks. 132 A locall Coincidence which..cannot be parallel'd.
1736 Bp. J. Butler Analogy of Relig. ii. vii. 256 Evidence arising from various Coincidences.
1790 W. Paley Horæ Paulinæ Rom. ii. 13 Such coincidences may fairly be stated as undesigned.
1867 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest I. App. 641 A remarkable series of undesigned coincidences in favour of the belief.
4. A notable concurrence of events or circumstances having no apparent causal connection.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [noun] > chance or fortuitous event > coincidence
coincidencea1682
apropos1783
happenstance1857
a1682 Sir T. Browne Let. to Friend (1690) 5 That he should also take King Francis Prisoner upon that day [of his nativity], was an unexpected Coincidence.
1823 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto VI lxxviii. 40 'A strange coincidence', to use a phrase By which such things are settled now-a-days.
1829 W. Scott Guy Mannering (new ed.) Introd. p. xviii The fact, if truly reported, is one of those singular coincidences which occasionally appear.
1856 T. De Quincey Confessions in Select. Grave & Gay 96 I felt it at the time..as a singular coincidence, that twice [etc].
1865 D. Livingstone & C. Livingstone Narr. Exped. Zambesi xix. 378 It might be only a coincidence.
5. Of persons: Agreement or concurrence (in opinion or sentiment).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > statement > agreement, concurrence, or unanimity > [noun]
cordc1300
assentc1386
concordc1386
accordancea1400
unanimity1436
concordancec1450
condescentc1460
greement1483
agreeing?1520
consent1529
consension1570
onenessa1575
consort1590
concurrency1596
agreation1598
convenance1613
concert1618
concurrence1669
accordancy1790
coincidence1795
unanimousness1828
one-mindedness1836
consentience1879
1795 Hull Advertiser 28 Nov. 3/1 Mr. Sturt..expressed his co-incidence with the sentiments of [the Petition].
1800 Duke of Wellington in Marquess Wellesley Select. Despatches (1877) 647 You are already apprized of my entire coincidence in your opinion.
1800 S. Smith 6 Serm. 60 A modest coincidence with received opinions above our faculties.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > condition or state of being combined > [noun] > action or fact of combining
compositionc1386
combining1552
combination1604
coalition1605
systasis1605
combinement1606
integration1620
conflation1626
complexion1628
coincidence1647
integrating1654
complication1655
consolidationa1676
composure1715
join-worka1774
amalgamy1788
amalgamation1828
synthesizing1830
synthesisa1834
1647 J. Howell New Vol. of Lett. 175 The Latine tongue with the coincidence of the Goths language, and other Northern peple.
7.
a. Physics. The indication of the occurrence of ionizing particles in two or more detectors simultaneously (see quot. 1958). Also attributive. Cf. anti-coincidence n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > atomic nucleus > radioactivity > ionizing radiation > [noun] > cosmic rays > indication of occurrence
coincidence1930
anti-coincidence1939
1930 Physical Rev. 35 651/2 Enormously increased resolving power can be obtained by the requirement of multiple instead of paired coincidences. The attainment of very great freedom from accidental coincidences is of greatest importance [etc.].
1930 Physical Rev. 35 652/1 Automatic recording of the amount of the penetrating radiation coming from particular areas of the sky, using two tube-counters and a special ‘coincidence circuit’.
1938 R. W. Lawson tr. G. von Hevesy & F. A. Paneth Man. Radioactivity (ed. 2) xxv. 280 Insertion of sheets of lead between the counters only slightly diminishes the number of simultaneous discharges (coincidences), and this proves that we are here confronted..with cosmic rays.
1940 G. Herzog in Physical Rev. 57 67/2 Anticoincidences can be used to suppress the recording of the discharges in a coincidence circuit when one additional G-M counter is fired simultaneously.
1958 Van Nostrand's Sci. Encycl. (ed. 3) 369/1 A true coincidence is one that is due to the detection of a single particle or of several genetically related particles. An accidental, chance, or random coincidence is one that is due to the fortuitous occurrence of unrelated counts in the separate detectors.
b. Computing. Equivalent signals received simultaneously in an electronic circuit; the reception of such signals. Also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > hardware > [noun] > electronic component, circuitry > signals received together
coincidence1947
1947 Rev. Sci. Instruments 18 907/1 In order to reduce chance coincidences to a minimum, it is necessary to use a coincidence circuit.
1948 Rev. Sci. Instruments 19 565/2 Methods can be found for modulating one of the E.M.T.'s..so that the E.M.T.'s themselves form a coincidence or anticoincidence system.
1950 C. B. Tompkins & J. H. Wakelin High-speed Computing Devices (Engin. Res. Associates) iv. 37 An electronic gate is a circuit with a single output and two (or more) inputs so designed that an output signal is produced when, and only when, input signals are received on both (or on a particular set of) input leads. Such circuits are variously known as gates, coincidence circuits, Rossi circuits, or logical and circuits.
1953 A. D. Booth & K. H. V. Booth Automatic Digital Calculators xi. 111 Coincidence sensers. In computing machine design it is frequently necessary to have available means for ascertaining the identity of two quantities.
1964 M. J. Pedelty in Tou & Wilcox Computer Sci. x. 248 The essence of the system..is that signals are ‘broadcast’ on a ‘to-whom-it-may-concern’ basis. Coincidence gates and delays can then be used to detect certain pulse patterns from the ‘broadcast alphabet’.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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