- 1 [countable, uncountable] the way in which something is done that most people in a society expect and consider to be polite or the right way to do it social conventions By convention the deputy leader was always a woman. She is a young woman who enjoys flouting conventions. Convention demands that a club member should resign in such a situation. Wordfindersocietycivil rights, class, conform, convention, culture, custom, elite, equality, outsider, society Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveaccepted, established, long-standing, … … of conventionsset verb + conventionadhere to, conform to, follow, … convention + verbdemand something, dictate something prepositionaccording to convention, by convention phrasesa break with convention, a matter of convention See full entry
- 2 [countable] a large meeting of the members of a profession, a political party, etc. synonym conference to hold a convention the Democratic Party Convention (= to elect a candidate for president) Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveannual, international, national, … verb + conventionhave, hold, host, … convention + verbtake place convention + nouncentre/center, hall, floor, … prepositionat a/the convention phrasesdelegates to a convention See full entry
- 3 [countable] an official agreement between countries or leaders the Geneva convention the United Nations convention on the rights of the child Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveglobal, international, European, … verb + conventionadopt, ratify, sign, … convention + verbapply, govern something, establish something, … prepositionunder a/the convention, convention against, convention between, … phrasesa breach of a convention See full entry See related entries: International relations
- 4[countable, uncountable] a traditional method or style in literature, art or the theatre the conventions of Greek tragedy Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveaccepted, established, long-standing, … … of conventionsset verb + conventionadhere to, conform to, follow, … convention + verbdemand something, dictate something prepositionaccording to convention, by convention phrasesa break with convention, a matter of convention See full entry Word Originlate Middle English (in sense (2)): via Old French from Latin conventio(n-) ‘meeting, covenant’, from the verb convenire ‘assemble, agree, fit’, from con- ‘together’ + venire ‘come’. Sense (1) dates from the late 18th cent.Extra examples By convention, planets are named after Roman gods. By convention, the Queen gives the Royal Assent to all measures passed by Parliament. Convention dictated that dangerous physical action is the part of heroes, not heroines. Dallas is one of the top convention cities in the United States. He addressed the annual Republican convention. He challenged the conventions of painting. He had the freedom of spirit to cut through convention. Her work refuses any concession to polite conventions of ‘good taste’. In a surprising break with convention, she wore a red wedding dress. It’s an established convention that the part is played by a woman. It’s an established convention that the part of the prince is played by a woman. Life with the Leighs was not hidebound by rules or convention. Most countries have adhered to the convention. No young politician can afford to flout convention in this way. Over 60 countries have yet to ratify the climate convention. She knew that she had broken an important social convention. She was at the Democratic convention. The convention established procedures for the transport of toxic waste. The novel refuses to conform to the narrative conventions of 19th century realism. They followed the Greek convention of pinning gifts of money to the bride’s dress. This is forbidden under the Convention on Human Rights. This practice breaches the arms convention. a convention governing the conditions under which mining is permitted journalists reporting from the convention floor the 1869 convention between Turkey and Persia the 1951 United Nations Convention on refugees the Berne Convention for the Conservation of European Wildlife the UN convention against torture the rigid social conventions of Victorian Britain Here we decided to break with convention. She is a lively young woman who enjoys flouting convention. The handshake is a social convention. The novel conforms to the conventions of nineteenth-century realism. The party’s annual convention will be held on April 6. They showed a refreshing disrespect for convention.
Check pronunciation: convention
