con·ven·tion   (kən-věn'shən)    n.   A formal meeting of members, representatives, or delegates, as of a political party, fraternal society, profession, or industry. The body of persons attending such an assembly: called the convention to order. An agreement between states, sides, or military forces, especially an international agreement dealing with a specific subject, such as the treatment of prisoners of war. General agreement on or acceptance of certain practices or attitudes: By convention, north is at the top of most maps. A practice or procedure widely observed in a group, especially to facilitate social interaction; a custom: the convention of shaking hands. A widely used and accepted device or technique, as in drama, literature, or painting: the theatrical convention of the aside. [Middle English convencioun, from Latin conventiō, conventiōn-, meeting, from conventus, past participle of convenīre, to assemble; see convene.]

Main Entry:	Convention2
Part of Speech:	n
Definition:	See National Convention

Convention

Con*ven"tion\, n. [L. conventio: cf. F. convention. See Convene, v. i.]

1. The act of coming together; the state of being together; union; coalition.

The conventions or associations of several particles of matter into bodies of any certain denomination. --Boyle.

2. General agreement or concurrence; arbitrary custom; usage; conventionality.

There are thousands now Such women, but convention beats them down. --Tennyson.

3. A meeting or an assembly of persons, esp. of delegates or representatives, to accomplish some specific object, -- civil, social, political, or ecclesiastical.

He set himself to the making of good laws in a grand convention of his nobles. --Sir R. Baker.

A convention of delegates from all the States, to meet in Philadelphia, for the sole and express purpose of reserving the federal system, and correcting its defects. --W. Irving.

4. (Eng. Hist) An extraordinary assembly of the parkiament or estates of the realm, held without the king's writ, -- as the assembly which restored Charles II. to the throne, and that which declared the throne to be abdicated by James II.

Our gratitude is due . . . to the Long Parliament, to the Convention, and to William of Orange. --Macaulay.

5. An agreement or contract less formal than, or preliminary to, a treaty; an informal compact, as between commanders of armies in respect to suspension of hostilities, or between states; also, a formal agreement between governments or sovereign powers; as, a postal convention between two governments.

This convention, I think from my soul, is nothing but a stipulation for national ignominy; a truce without a suspension of hostilities. --Ld. Chatham.

The convention with the State of Georgia has been ratified by their Legislature. --T. Jefferson.

convention 

Main Entry: con·ven·tion
Function: noun
1 : an agreement between nations for regulation of matters affecting all of them
2 : an agreement enforceable in law : CONTRACT
3 : an assembly of persons met for a common purpose; especially : a meeting of the delegates of a political party for the purpose of formulating a platform and selecting candidates for office