convenience

noun, verb — 5 senses

convenience

noun

UK /kənˈviːnɪəns/ · US /kənˈvinjəns/

Etymology Borrowed from Latin convenientia, from conveniens (“suitable”), present participle of convenire (“to come together, suit”). Doublet of convenance.

1

The quality of being convenient.

  • Fast food is popular because of its cost and convenience.
  • Let's further think of this; / Weigh what convenience both of time and means / May fit us to our shape.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
1 more example
  • Thus first Necessity invented stools, / Convenience next suggested elbow-chairs[…]1782–1785, William Cowper, “(please specify the page)”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC:
2

Any object that makes life more convenient; a helpful item.

  • A pair of spectacles[…] and several other little conveniences.1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput):
  • ...let Fanchette come in a hackney-coach in the morning, and I will direct the housekeeper to send you something of every thing—plate, candlesticks, lamps, damask—and you won't take it amiss if we should happen to have game or poultry come up that I put that amongst the conveniences;...1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XVII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 223:
2 more examples
  • There was a bookshelf with a number of tattered volumes, and a few conveniences in the way of cupboards, which appeared to have been contrived out of a packing case by a hasty man, with a blunt axe.1913, Norman Lindsay, A Curate in Bohemia, Sydney: N.S.W. Bookstall Co., published 1932, page 7:
  • It's over there, it's over there / My building has every convenience / It's gonna make life easy for me1977, David Byrne, “Don't Worry About the Government”, in Talking Heads: 77, performed by Talking Heads:
3

A convenient time.

  • We will come over and begin the work at your convenience.
4

UK, Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of public convenience (“a public lavatory”).

Derived terms
disconvenience, ultraconvenience, convenience class, convenience fee, convenience food, convenience method, convenience sample, convenience sampling, convenience store, flag of convenience, marriage of convenience, modern convenience, public convenience
Related terms
convene, convenient, convent, convention

convenience

verb

Etymology Borrowed from Latin convenientia, from conveniens (“suitable”), present participle of convenire (“to come together, suit”). Doublet of convenance.

1

To make convenient.

  • These are equally viable times and I propose we alternate between the two times in order to convenience as many people as possible.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.