dependence

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The state of being dependent, as for support.
2. n. Subordination to someone or something needed or greatly desired.
3. n. Trust; reliance. See Synonyms at trust.
4. n. The state of being determined, influenced, or controlled by something else.
5. n. A compulsive or chronic need; an addiction: an alcohol dependence.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The fact of being dependent or pendent; the relation of a hanging thing to the support from which it hangs; a hanging; also, the hanging thing itself.
2. n. The relation of logical consequent to its antecedent, of conclusion to premise, or of a contingent fact to the condition upon which it depends; the relation of effect to cause. In this sense dependence is said to be in ferri, in esse, or in operari: in ferri, when the cause brings the effect into being; in esse, when the continued existence of the effect is due to the cause; in operari, when the effect cannot itself act as a cause without the cooperation of its cause. The word is also applied in this sense to the relation of accident to substance; also, to the accident itself, as being in this relation.
3. n. The state of deriving existence, support, or direction from another; the state of being subject to the power and operation of some extraneous force; subjection or subordination to another or to something else: as, dependence is the natural condition of childhood; the dependence of life upon solar heat.
4. n. Reliance; confidence; trust; a resting on something: as, we may have a firm dependence on the promises of God.
5. n. In law: The quality of being conditional on something else. See dependent, 5. Pendency; the condition of awaiting determination.

Wiktionary

1. n. The state of being dependent, of relying upon another.
2. n. An irresistible physical or psychological need, especially for a chemical substance.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act or state of depending; state of being dependent; a hanging down or from; suspension from a support.
2. n. The state of being influenced and determined by something; subjection (as of an effect to its cause).
3. n. Mutual connection and support; concatenation; systematic inter-relation.
4. n. Subjection to the direction or disposal of another; inability to help or provide for one's self; a lack of independence or self-sufficiency.
5. n. A resting with confidence; reliance; trust.
6. n. That on which one depends or relies.
7. n. That which depends; anything dependent or suspended; anything attached a subordinate to, or contingent on, something else.
8. n. obsolete A matter depending, or in suspense, and still to be determined; ground of controversy or quarrel.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs)
2. n. the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else