[Lexicog] My definition for the noun "condition."

[samnitebc]

After looking through many well-known dictionaries 
from several hundred years ago to the present, I still 
could not find a satisfactory definition for 
"condition." The definien would usually contain the 
noun "state." At the time, I didn't know anything 
about circular definitions and the problems 
they pose to the dictionary user. I just felt that 
this shouldn't be. 

So, for the fun of it, I'd use what free time I had to 
come up with a rough definition for "condition." I 
still haven't touched "state" as of yet and I don't 
want to assume they are just synonyms until I've 
tackled it myself.

So, if you would be so kind, please let me know what 
you don't like about it or perhaps suggest what I've 
not considered. I don't know how long one is supposed 
to work on defining a word but this one took me three 
weeks to complete.

I had fun going through the process. However, the 
experience taught me how much mental energy a 
lexicographer has to use to define a word. Luckily, I 
wasn't under the time constraints the average 
lexicographer is working in a dictionary house.

I would like to point out that this definition came 
about using my mental corpus--if there is such a term. 
I don't have access to one and thought my memory of 
how the word is used was enough. Not very professional 
of me but that's what I had at the time. Anyway, 
here's the definition and thanks again:

-------------------------------------------------------
--
condition: The qualities (or that which has makes 
anything 
what it is)of a person, animal, or thing that have 
been 
affected by time, man, creature, or nature either 
positively or negatively.
-------------------------------------------------------
--

Using the example I thought of at the time, suppose I 
visit a used book store and find a paperback book I'm 
interested in. I examine the covers for soiling, 
writing, if there's any, a cracked spine, etc. Then I 
determine based on what I've seen that the book is in 
"fair" condition. Perhaps a book collector might agree 
or disagree because we use different standards. But 
that is another topic which shouldn't concern us.

To continue, the book had soiling in the first few 
pages. The spine was terribly cracked, and the 
previous user left her name on the back of the front 
cover. We can all agree this paperback is not in 
"mint" condition. Now going through the 
qualities one by one: the book still retained its 
"rectangular" shape. It wasn't chewed by a dog where 
in the end it looked "circular" in shape. The covers 
were still vibrant in color so time didn't have too 
much of an impact on its aging. Next, the spine had 
been cracked which reduced it market value according 
to collectors. Moving on, the first few pages had 
dried food smudges of a chocolate nature. 
Finally, the name written by the previous use also 
lowered the value of the book.

All these are the qualities of the book and how they 
were affected by "time and man" in a negative manner. 
This is covered by the aforementioned definition. 

To make myself clear, I'm restricting me definition to 
only one sense of the word, excluding the others 
because they are clear enough.

That's all I have for now. Let me know what I did 
wrong.


Thank you.



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