depend

[dih-pend]

verb (used without object)

1. to rely; place trust (usually followed by on orupon ).

   You may depend on the accuracy of the report.

2. to rely for support, maintenance, help, etc. (usually followed by on orupon ).

   Children depend on their parents.

3. to be conditioned or contingent (usually followed by on orupon ).

   His success here depends upon effort and ability.

4. to be undetermined or pending.

   I may go to Europe or I may not, it all depends.

5. Grammar.,  (of a word or other linguistic form) to be subordinate to another linguistic form in the same construction; to form a part of a construction other than the head.

6. to hang down; be suspended (usually followed byfrom ).

   The chandelier depends from the ceiling of the ballroom.

depend

/ dɪˈpɛnd /

verb

1. to put trust (in); rely (on); be sure (of)

2. to be influenced or determined (by); be resultant (from)

   whether you come or not depends on what father says

   it all depends on you

3. to rely (on) for income, support, etc

4. rare,  (foll by from) to hang down; be suspended

5. to be undecided or pending

Other Word Forms

• interdepend verb (used without object)
• redepend verb (used without object)
• self-depending adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of depend¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English dependen, from Old French dependre, from Latin dēpendere “to hang down,” from dē- de- + pendere “to hang”

Word History and Origins

Origin of depend¹

C15: from Old French dependre, from Latin dēpendēre to hang from, from _de- + pendēre to hang

Example Sentences

It’s made of rebar and colorful glass bottles, and shines differently depending on the light that day.

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State taxes will vary, depending on where you live.

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A pickup in consumer spending is another key ingredient for a sustained period of higher growth, which might depend on factors beyond the control of European policymakers.

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Perhaps the masters of the dark arts, dirty tricks or marginal gains, depending on how you view such things, were Cambridge United in the early 1990s.

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Dr. Wang explained that although doctors have traditionally adjusted therapy by monitoring each patient's blood pressure readings, those measurements are too variable to depend on alone.

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Related Words

• hinge on 
• rest on www.thesaurus.com
• revolve around www.thesaurus.com