Environment illuminates the meaning of acts, as context does that of words.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) The circumstances surrounding an act — its time, place, and setting — are essential to determining its legal character, just as context gives meaning to language.

Where this applies

• A man hands a stranger an envelope of cash in a dark alley at midnight — the circumstances make it look like a bribe, even though it might have been a gift in a different setting.
• A farmer burns brush on his own land during a controlled-burn season with neighbors notified; the same fire lit at night without warning could be arson.
• Two old friends shaking hands at a car dealership after discussing price is understood as closing a deal, while the same handshake at a party means nothing legally.