situation

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The way in which something is positioned vis-à-vis its surroundings.
2. n. The place in which something is situated; a location.
3. n. Position or status with regard to conditions and circumstances.
4. n. The combination of circumstances at a given moment; a state of affairs. See Synonyms at state.
5. n. A critical, problematic, or striking set of circumstances.
6. n. A position of employment; a post.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Local position; location.
2. n. The place which a person or thing occupies.
3. n. Position with reference to circumstances; set of relations; condition; state.
4. n. A group of circumstances; a posture of affairs; specifically, in theatrical art, a crisis or critical point in the action of a play.
5. n. A post of employment; a subordinate office; a place in which one works for salary or wages.
6. n. Settlement; occupation.
7. n. Synonyms and Site, station, post.
8. n. Case, plight; situation is relation to external objects; state and condition refer to what a person or thing is inwardly.

Wiktionary

1. n. The way in which something is positioned vis-à-vis its surroundings.
2. n. The place in which something is situated; a location.
3. n. Position or status with regard to conditions and circumstances.
4. n. The combination of circumstances at a given moment; a state of affairs.
5. n. UK A position of employment; a post.
6. n. A difficult or unpleasant set of circumstances; a problem.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Manner in which an object is placed; location, esp. as related to something else; position; locality site.
2. n. Position, as regards the conditions and circumstances of the case.
3. n. Relative position; circumstances; temporary state or relation at a moment of action which excites interest, as of persons in a dramatic scene.
4. n. Permanent position or employment; place; office.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a condition or position in which you find yourself
2. n. the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
3. n. a complex or critical or unusual difficulty
4. n. a job in an organization
5. n. physical position in relation to the surroundings