Definition of depend

< depauperate

dependable >

de·pend    (d-pnd) KEY 

intr.v.
de·pend·ed, de·pend·ing, de·pends

1. To rely, especially for support or maintenance: Children must depend on their parents.
2. To place trust or confidence: You can depend on his honesty. See Synonyms at rely.
3. To be determined, conditioned, or contingent: a grade depending on the results of the final exam.
4. To have a dependence: began to depend more and more on drugs.
5. To be pending or undecided, as in a court or legislature.
6. To hang down: "And ever-living Lamps depend in Rows" (Alexander Pope).

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English dependen, to hang down, from Old French dependre, from Latin dpendre : d-, de- + pendre, to hang; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots
Usage Note:
In writing, depend is followed by on or upon when indicating condition or contingency, as in It depends on who is in charge. Omission of the preposition is typical of casual speech.