the.com/contingent

Fancy word for 'depends on stuff we haven't checked yet.'

means Something that may or may not happen, or may or may not be true, depending on other conditions being met first.

from From Latin 'contingere' — 'con-' (together) plus 'tangere' (to touch) — literally 'to touch on all sides' or 'to happen by chance.' Something contingent is, etymologically, something that 'touches' or borders on other events, its fate bumping up against theirs rather than standing on its own.

logic use
true in some possible worlds, false in others
legal use
fee you pay only if lawyer wins
military use
a group sent to do one specific job
root
from Latin contingere, 'to touch together'
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