bet on
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To place a wager on the outcome of an event: To risk money on the success or result of a future event, such as a sports game or race.
- To rely on or have confidence in a particular outcome: To base one's expectations or plans on something happening.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- I decided to bet on the home team to win the championship.
- She bet on the black horse in the third race.
- You shouldn't bet on the weather being nice for the picnic.
- He's betting on getting a promotion by the end of the year.
Advanced Usage
"to bet on the wrong horse": To support a person, idea, or course of action that ultimately fails.
- Investing all his money in that failing company was like betting on the wrong horse.
"to bet on a sure thing": To wager on an outcome that is considered certain or very likely.
- It seems like a safe investment; you're practically betting on a sure thing.
Variants and Related Words
Back (verb): To support financially, often used synonymously with 'bet on' in the context of gambling.
- He backed the underdog with a small wager.
Wager (verb): A more formal synonym for 'bet'.
- He wagered fifty dollars on the game's outcome.
Synonyms
- Gamble on: To take a risky action in the hope of a desired result.
- Stake on: To risk money or something valuable on an event.
- Count on: To rely on something happening (for the 'rely on' meaning).
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Bet against: To place a wager that a particular outcome will NOT happen.
- Few people were willing to bet against the reigning champion.
Related Idioms
Don't bet on it: An expression used to say that something is very unlikely to happen.
- "Do you think it will stop raining soon?" – "Don't bet on it."
Hedge your bets: To reduce your risk by supporting more than one possible outcome.
- She applied to several universities to hedge her bets.
Verb
- place a bet on
- Which horse are you backing?
- I'm betting on the new horse