state of affairsn.
/ˌsteɪt əv əˈfɛːz/, U.S. /ˌsteɪd əv əˈfɛ(ə)rz/ 1. The way in which events or circumstances stand at a particular time or within a particular sphere; the current situation. Cf. state of time (also times) at state n. Phrases 12.
ΚΠ
1585 A. Golding tr. P. Mela Worke of Cosmographer 19 Eche of which Pallaces (as the state of affayres required) was wont to send foorth ten thousande armed men.
1606 J. Clapham Hist. Great Brit. ii. sig. A4 (heading) Declaring the state of affaires in Britannie after the Romans had given over the government there.
1653 O. Cromwell Speech 4 July in Writings & Speeches (1945) (modernized text) III. 53 The state of affairs as they were before the Short..Parliament.
1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World ii. 28 Being very ready..to assist me with his advice, and notice of the state of affairs.
1776 St. James's Chron. 23–5 May 4/1 Administration had, to the Scandal of all good Government, suppressed every Thing relative to the true State of Affairs in America.
1811 T. Bourke Conc. Hist. Moors in Spain III. iv. 141 Such was the state of affairs in Spain.
1891 W. J. Thomson in Rep. U.S. Nat. Museum 1889 529 This unsatisfactory state of affairs was brought to an end.
1911 E. L. Thorndike Animal Intell. vi. 245 By a satisfying state of affairs is meant one which the animal does nothing to avoid.
1963 P. Larkin Let. 15 July in Sel. Lett. (1992) 355 It seems a sad state of affairs if such tender, perceptive & intelligent work can't see the light.
2002 Cathedral Music Oct. 14/1 It is very easy to be pessimistic and downhearted about the state of affairs.
2. Philosophy. In the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein: a combination of objects (object n. 5).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > philosophy > philosophy of language > language theories of individual philosophers > [noun] > ordinary language philosophies > elements of Wittgenstein's theories
Sachverhalt1922
state of affairs1922
protophenomenon1932
family resemblance1953
1922 C. K. Ogden et al. tr. L. Wittgenstein Tractatus 31 It would..appear as an accident, when to a thing that could exist alone on its own account, subsequently a state of affairs could be made to fit.
1962 M. Cranston tr. Hartnack Wittgenstein & Mod. Philos. ii. 13 A ‘state of affairs’ is a fact that in itself does not consist of facts... A state of affairs is a combination of possible facts.
1973 A. Kenny Wittgenstein v. 73 States of affairs, we are told, are independent of one another.
2007 P. Frascolla Understanding Wittgenstein's Tractatus iii. 66 What seems to be decisive is the fact that Wittgenstein usually characterizes a state of affairs as something which can either be obtaining or non-obtaining.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1585