DEPEND UPON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does depend upon mean? 

• DEPEND UPON (verb)
  The verb DEPEND UPON has 2 senses:

1. be contingent on

2. put trust in with confidence

  Familiarity information: DEPEND UPON used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEPEND UPON (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be contingent on

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

depend on; depend upon; devolve on; hinge on; hinge upon; ride; turn on

Context example:

Your grade will depends on your homework

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "depend upon"):

build on; build upon; repose on; rest on (be based on; of theories and claims, for example)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put trust in with confidence

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

depend on; depend upon; rely on; rely upon

Context example:

you can rely on his discretion

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

Yes, depend upon me it shall: it shall go with the other letters; and, as your uncle will frank it, it will cost William nothing.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Depend upon it, he will be much farther from doing you justice.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

‘If I promise to keep a secret,’ said I, ‘you may absolutely depend upon my doing so.’

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Depend upon it, that is a circumstance which his servants take care to publish, wherever he goes.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

“There shall be as little lingering as possible, in your case, Mr. Maldon, you may depend upon it,” said Mr. Wickfield.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Beth is too feeble and Amy too young to depend upon, but when the tug comes, you are always ready.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“We’ll make it, I think; but you can depend upon it that blessed brother of mine has twigged our little game and is just a-humping for us. Ah, look at that!”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I shall depend upon a most particular description of it.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Mrs. Ferrars is certainly nothing to me at present—but the time MAY come—how soon it will come must depend upon herself—when we may be very intimately connected.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)