depend

depend
/dI'pend/ verb it /that depends spoken used to say that you cannot give a definite answer to something, because the answer could change according to what happens: “Are you going to visit him?” “Well, it depends.” depend on/upon phrasal verb (T)
1 to need the support, help, or existence of someone or something else: The country depends heavily on its tourist trade. | We depend entirely on donations from the public. | depend on sb/sth for: Children depend on their parents for all of their material needs. | depend on sb/sth to do sth: I'm depending on you to get this done. | depend on sb/sth doing sth: We're depending on him finishing the job by Friday.
2 to trust or have confidence in someone or something: You can depend on Jane - she always keeps her promises. | depend upon it spoken (=you can be sure): Depend upon it, he'll turn up.
3 (not in progressive) to change according to what else happens or whether something else changes: The length of the treatment depends on the severity of the illness. | depending on: The plant may grow to a height of several meters, depending on soil conditions. | depend on who/what/how etc: The amount you pay depends on where you live.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • Depend — De*pend , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Depended}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Depending}.] [F. d[ e]pendre, fr. L. depend?re; de + pend?re to hang. See {Pendant}.] 1. To hang down; to be sustained by being fastened or attached to something above. [1913 Webster] And …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • depend — 1 *rely, trust, count, reckon, bank Analogous words: lean, incline (see SLANT vb) 2 Depend, hinge, hang, turn are comparable when they mean to rest or, especially, to be contingent upon something uncertain or variable or indeterminable. All are… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • depend — 1. Depend in its main meaning is followed by on or upon: • It was quite wrong to come to depend too much upon one s children Penelope Fitzgerald, 1979 • As grandfather grew older…he seemed to depend increasingly on my company J. Simms, 1982. It… …   Modern English usage

  • depend on — be controlled or determined by. → depend depend on rely on. → depend …   English new terms dictionary

  • depend — [v1] count on, rely upon bank on*, bet bottom dollar on*, bet on*, build upon, calculate on, confide in, gamble on*, lay money on*, lean on*, reckon on, trust in, turn to; concept 26 depend [v2] be contingent on be at mercy of, be based on, be… …   New thesaurus

  • depend — ► VERB (depend on) 1) be controlled or determined by. 2) rely on. ● depending on Cf. ↑depending on ORIGIN Latin dependere hang down …   English terms dictionary

  • depend — index rely Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • depend — early 15c., to be attached to as a condition or cause, a figurative use, from M.Fr. dependre, lit. to hang from, hang down, from L. dependere to hang from, hang down; be dependent on, be derived, from de from, down (see DE (Cf. de )) + pendere to …   Etymology dictionary

  • depend — [dē pend′, dipend′] vi. [ME dependen < OFr dependre < L dependere, to hang down from < de , down + pendere, to hang: see PENDANT] 1. to be influenced or determined by something else; be contingent (on) 2. to have trust; rely (on) 3. to… …   English World dictionary

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