INDEX:
1. when what happens is influenced by other facts or events
RELATED WORDS
depend on someone : ↑ NEED/NECESSARY
see also
↑ CONDITION
↑ NEED/NECESSARY
↑ IF
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1. when what happens is influenced by other facts or events
▷ depend /dɪˈpend/ [intransitive verb]
if something depends on a fact, result, decision etc, it is not fixed or decided because it will change if the fact, result, decision etc changes :
it depends how/where/what etc
▪ I might not be able to go to France - it depends how much it costs.
it depends/that depends
spoken say this when your decision may change according to what happens
▪ ‘Are you going to apply for that job?’ ‘Well, it depends.’
it all depends
spoken say this to emphasize that you cannot be certain about something
▪ We still don’t know whether we’ll have to move to a new house or not - it all depends.
depend on
▪ The amount I earn depends on the kind of work I’m doing.
▷ according to /əˈkɔːʳdɪŋ tuː/ [preposition]
if something is done according to particular facts, a particular situation etc, these affect the way it is done :
▪ Telephone charges vary according to the time of day.
▪ The students were grouped according to age and ability.
▷ depending on something /dɪˈpendɪŋ ɒn something/ [preposition]
use this to say that what will happen or what you do will change according to what happens in another situation :
▪ Inflation goes up and down depending on the state of the economy.
▪ In many languages there are different words for "you' depending on who you are talking to.
▪ I kept getting different answers depending on who I asked.
▷ be determined by /biː dɪˈtɜːʳmɪnd baɪ/ [verb phrase]
if the quality or nature of something is determined by other things, it depends on those things for how it is made :
▪ The colour of the rock is determined by the type of mineral present in it.
▪ The ultimate flavor of the cheese variety is determined by the length of time it is allowed to mature.
▪ An individual’s metabolism is generally determined by his or her genetic make-up.
▷ be dictated by /biː dɪkˈteɪtə̇d baɪ/ [verb phrase]
if a decision, choice, or result is dictated by something, it depends very strongly on it, and leaves no choice for the people involved :
▪ A country’s choice of export products is dictated by geography, climate, and natural resources.
▪ Any development in the city center is dictated by the city’s historic preservation laws.
▷ be based on /biː ˈbeɪst ɒn/ [verb phrase]
if one decision, situation, calculation etc is based on another, the second is the main thing upon which the first decision etc depends :
▪ Your pension will be based on the amount that you are earning when you retire.
▪ This year’s funding for the program is based on the number of applications that we received last year.
▪ The jury’s decision must be based on the evidence heard in court.
▷ be dependent on /biː dɪˈpendənt ɒn/ [verb phrase] formal
to depend on something :
▪ The speed of the plane is dependent on the efficiency of the engines.
▪ Benefits paid will be dependent on length of service with the company.
▷ hinge on/hang on /ˈhɪndʒ ɒn, ˈhæŋ ɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
if a result, especially an important result, hinges on or hangs on something happening, it depends on it completely :
▪ The future prospects of a student can hinge on his or her performance in these exams.
▪ The case hinged on whether the jury believed the defendants had planned to kill anyone when they broke into the house.
▷ be riding on /biː ˈraɪdɪŋ ɒn/ [verb phrase]
if something important such as money or success is riding on the result of something else, it depends on it :
▪ It’s really stressful when you know that your whole future may be riding on this one interview.
▪ Boxing has become big business, with a huge amount of money riding on the outcome of a fight.
▷ be decided by /biː dɪˈsaɪdə̇d baɪ/ [verb phrase]
if what someone does or what happens is decided by something else, it depends on it :
▪ The future of the school will be decided by the results of this survey.
▪ Your choice of tool will be decided by the hardness of the wood you are working on.