释义 |
con·se·quence I. \ˈkän(t)sə̇ˌkwen(t)s, -sēˌk-, -_kwən- sometimes ˈkȯn-\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin consequentia, from consequent-, consequens + -ia 1. : something that is produced by a cause or follows from a form of necessary connection or from a set of conditions : a natural or necessary result < this refined taste is the consequence of education and habit — Joshua Reynolds > < his training had been poor and in combat he suffered the consequences > < she was always quick and as a consequence received high grades > 2. : a conclusion that results from reason or argument : an inference or proposition inferred from previous propositions < we can deduce … many consequences each of which can be tested by experiment — J.B.Conant > specifically : a statement derivable from other statements in accordance with the transformation rules of the language system they belong to 3. obsolete a. : the act or action of following in succession : sequence b. : the rational process by which effect follows cause : logical sequence 4. a. : importance often with respect to what comes after or in power to produce an effect : value, moment < a mistake of no consequence > < a problem of grave international consequence > b. : social importance or distinction < a person of some consequence > < she had managed to bring with her a certain urban consequence — Margery Sharp > 5. : the appearance of importance especially in demeanor : dignity < his voice had authority and his bearing consequence > especially : self-importance < with all the consequence of a peacock > 6. consequences plural but singular in construction : a game in which a brief and humorous story descriptive of two people, their meeting, and its consequences is made up as the players in turn write answers to a series of questions, each one concealing what he has written before passing the paper to his neighbor for the next answer Synonyms: see effect, importance • - in consequence - in consequence of II. intransitive verb (-ed/-ing/-s) obsolete : infer |