depend

depend

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Pronunciation

depend: /dɪˈpɛnd/

• First Syllable: /dɪ/

• /d/: Voiced alveolar plosive

• /ɪ/: Near-close near-front unrounded vowel (as in "kit")

• Second Syllable: /pɛnd/

• /p/: Voiceless bilabial plosive

• /ɛ/: Open-mid front unrounded vowel (as in "bed")

• /n/: Voiced alveolar nasal

• /d/: Voiced alveolar plosive

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Word Form Variations

Verb:

• depend (base form)

• depends (third-person singular simple present)

• depending (present participle)

• depended (simple past, past participle)

Noun (derived from "depend"):

• dependence (singular)

• dependencies (plural)

Adjective (derived from "depend"):

• dependent

Adverb (derived from "depend"):

• dependently

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Verb

1. To be contingent upon; to be determined or influenced by something else.

• Example: "The success of the project will depend on the team's effort."

• Synonyms: rely on, hinge on, be subject to, be conditional on, be determined by, be influenced by

• Antonyms: be independent of, be disconnected from, be unrelated to

2. To rely on someone or something for support, sustenance, or aid.

• Example: "Children depend on their parents for food and shelter."

• Synonyms: rely, count on, lean on, trust, confide in, need

• Antonyms: be self-sufficient, be autonomous, be unreliant

Noun

Dependence: The state of being influenced or determined by something else, or the state of relying on someone or something for support.

1. A state of being governed or conditioned by another factor.

• Example: "The economy's dependence on oil prices is a significant concern."

• Synonyms: reliance, contingency, conditionality, subjection

• Antonyms: independence, autonomy, self-sufficiency

2. The need for or reliance on someone or something for support or survival.

• Example: "The patient developed a strong dependence on the medication."

• Synonyms: reliance, addiction, habituation, need, trust

• Antonyms: independence, self-reliance, disinterest

Adjective

Dependent: Contingent on or determined by something else; relying on someone or something for support.

1. Subject to or determined by an external factor.

• Example: "Our travel plans are dependent on the weather."

• Synonyms: contingent, conditional, reliant, subject

• Antonyms: independent, unconditional, autonomous, unreliant

2. Requiring someone or something for aid, support, or maintenance.

• Example: "The elderly couple became increasingly dependent on their children."

• Synonyms: reliant, helpless, needy, beholden, sustained by

• Antonyms: independent, self-sufficient, autonomous, self-reliant

Adverb

Dependently: In a way that is influenced or determined by something else; in a reliant manner.

1. In a manner that is contingent upon another factor.

• Example: "The results varied dependently on the experimental conditions."

• Synonyms: conditionally, contingently, subject to, accordingly

• Antonyms: independently, unconditionally, autonomously

2. In a way that shows reliance on something or someone.

• Example: "She held onto his arm dependently as they walked."

• Synonyms: relyingly, leaningly, trustingly, helplessly

• Antonyms: independently, self-reliantly, autonomously

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Examples of Use

Books

• "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change." (Often misattributed to Charles Darwin, but widely discussed in the context of evolutionary theory and how survival depends on adaptability.)

• "You yourself are the answer to your greatest problems. Everything you need depends on what you do and what you think about yourself." (From "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" by Joseph Murphy, published in 1963)

Newspapers

• "The success of the proposed economic reforms will depend heavily on public cooperation and international support." (From an article in The East African)

• "Whether the new housing development gets approved will depend on the council's vote next week." (From The Standard)

Online Publications

• "Your credit score can depend on a variety of factors, including payment history and credit utilization." (From an article on Experian.com)

• "The future of renewable energy in the region could depend on breakthroughs in battery storage technology." (From an analysis on Renewable Energy World)

Entertainment Mediums and Platforms

• Film Dialogue: "Our survival depends on whether we can work together." (A common trope in action or survival films, often heard in dialogue from movies like Gravity or The Martian)

• Song Lyrics: "I depend on you to keep me safe and warm." (From the song "I Depend On You" by The O'Jays, released in 1972)

• Video Game Dialogue/Narrative: "The outcome of this quest will depend on the choices you make." (Frequently encountered in role-playing games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or Mass Effect, where player choices have narrative consequences.)

• Television Series: "How much we can accomplish today will depend on how quickly we get through this paperwork." (A line often heard in workplace dramas or procedural shows, like Suits or Grey's Anatomy)

General Public Discourse

• "It really depends on the situation." (A very common phrase used in everyday conversations to express that an outcome or answer is conditional.)

• "My weekend plans depend on whether I finish this project by Friday." (A typical statement made when discussing personal schedules and contingencies.)

• "We can't always depend on others to solve our problems; sometimes we have to take initiative." (A common sentiment expressed in discussions about personal responsibility or community action.)

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10 Quotes Using Depend

1. "The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation. And the time is now for cooperation, not competition. We depend on each other." (Jacque Fresco)

2. "Don't depend on a soul for your happiness and your peace. Only you can bring that to you." (Garth Brooks)

3. "Happiness depends upon ourselves." (Aristotle)

4. "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Our lives depend on it." (Martin Luther King Jr.)

5. "Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. Everything depends on it." (George Bernard Shaw)

6. "The value of a man depends on the measure in which he has devoted himself to the cause of his fellow-men." (Albert Einstein)

7. "Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness." (Attributed to Yousuf Karsh, though the phrasing with "depend" is a common variation: "The character, like the photograph, depends on the light and shade.")

8. "Ultimately, the only thing that makes a man happy is to know that he is useful. Life depends on it." (José Mujica)

9. "The future of the world depends on what we do in the present." (Mahatma Gandhi)

10. "The art of being happy depends on the power of extracting happiness from common things." (Henry Ward Beecher)

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Etymology

The word "depend" comes from Latin, specifically from the word dependere.

• "de-": This part is a Latin prefix meaning "down" or "from." Think of words like "descend" (to go down) or "detour" (a way from the main route).

• "pendere": This is a Latin verb meaning "to hang." Think of words like "pendulum" (something that hangs and swings) or "pending" (hanging in the balance, awaiting a decision).

So, literally, "dependere" meant "to hang down from."

When the word "depend" first came into English around the late 14th century, it kept this core idea. Its earliest known meaning in English was indeed "to hang down from" or "to be suspended."

Imagine a curtain hanging from a rod, or a fruit hanging from a branch. The curtain "depends" from the rod, and the fruit "depends" from the branch.

From this literal sense of "hanging from," the meaning evolved. If something hangs from something else, its position or existence is supported by that thing. This led to the more abstract meanings we use today:

• To rely on: If you "depend" on someone for help, you're "hanging" on them for support.

• To be contingent on: If an outcome "depends" on certain conditions, it's "hanging" on those conditions; its existence is determined by them.

So, in essence, "depend" started with a very physical image of hanging, and then broadened to describe any situation where one thing relies on or is determined by another.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Depend

1. Depend on it: Absolutely, for certain; you can be sure of it.

2. It all depends: The answer or outcome is conditional and varies based on circumstances.

3. Depend on yourself: To be self-reliant; not needing others for support.

4. Depend for a living: To rely on a particular source or activity for one's income or sustenance.

5. Depend heavily on: To rely to a great extent on something or someone.

6. Depend on how the wind blows: (Lesser-known, similar to "it all depends") The outcome is uncertain and subject to unpredictable changes.

7. To be dependent on someone's good graces: To rely on someone's kindness or favor.

8. Depend on pins and needles: (Original, for similar effect to "on tenterhooks") To be in a state of anxious suspense, where a decision or outcome is awaited and relied upon.

9. Depend on the turn of a card: (Lesser-known) To rely on chance or luck.

10. Depend on borrowed time: (Original, for similar effect to "living on borrowed time") To be in a precarious situation where one's continued existence or success is uncertain and prolonged beyond what was expected.

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of depend from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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