con‧di‧tion 1 S2 W1 / kənˈdɪʃ ə n / noun
1 situation conditions [ plural ] the situation in which people live or work, especially the physical things that affect the quality of their lives : Conditions in the prison were atrocious.
living/working conditions an attempt to improve living conditions for the working classes
Poor working conditions lead to demoralized and unproductive employees.
in appalling/overcrowded/dreadful etc conditions These children work 70 metres below ground in appalling conditions.
In May, staff went on strike, demanding better pay and conditions .
2 weather conditions [ plural ] the weather at a particular time, especially when you are considering how this affects people : The conditions during the first half of the match were appalling.
cold/windy/icy etc conditions In cold conditions you’ll need a sleeping bag with a hood.
the worsening weather conditions
3 things affecting situation conditions [ plural ] all the things that affect the way something happens under ... conditions Under normal conditions, people will usually do what requires least effort.
Under these conditions, the fire can be rapidly controlled.
Profits increased by £1.5m, despite the difficult economic conditions.
The combination of rain and greasy surfaces made driving conditions treacherous.
4 state [ singular, uncountable ] the state that something is in, especially how good or bad its physical state is in (a) good/poor/excellent/terrible etc condition The car has been well maintained and is in excellent condition.
The house was in a terrible condition.
condition of The condition of nuclear plants is a matter of great concern.
5 health/fitness [ singular, uncountable ] how healthy or fit you are : She is being treated at Walton Hospital, where her condition is described as ‘satisfactory’.
in (a) critical/stable/satisfactory condition One of the victims was in a critical condition after suffering severe burns.
physical/mental condition If you are uncertain about your physical condition, check with your doctor before trying these exercises.
‘I’m so out of condition (= unfit ) ,’ she panted.
an athlete in peak condition
in no condition to do something (= too drunk, ill, or upset to be able to do something ) I was in no condition to cope with a train journey.
Mark can’t possibly drive home in that condition (= when he is so drunk, ill, or upset ) .
