4. To trust; to rest with confidence; to rely; to confide; to be certain; — with on or upon; as, we depend on
the word or assurance of our friends; we depend on the mail at the usual hour.
But if you 're rough, and use him like a dog,
Depend upon it — he 'll remain incog.
Addison. 5. To serve; to attend; to act as a dependent or retainer. [Obs.] Shak.
6. To impend. [Obs.] Shak.
Dependable
(De*pend"a*ble) a. Worthy of being depended on; trustworthy. "Dependable friendships."
Pope.
Dependant
(De*pend"ant De*pend"ance) n., Dependancy
(De*pend"an*cy) , n. See Dependent,
Dependence, Dependency.
The forms dependant, dependance, dependancy are from the French; the forms dependent, etc., are
from the Latin. Some authorities give preference to the form dependant when the word is a noun, thus
distinguishing it from the adjective, usually written dependent.
Dependence
(De*pend"ence) n. [LL. dependentia, fr. L. dependens. See Dependent, and cf. Dependance.]
1. The act or state of depending; state of being dependent; a hanging down or from; suspension from a
support.
2. The state of being influenced and determined by something; subjection (as of an effect to its cause).
The cause of effects, and the dependence of one thing upon another.
Bp. Burnet. 3. Mutual connection and support; concatenation; systematic inter-relation.
So dark and so intricate of purpose, without any dependence or order.
Sir T. More. 4. Subjection to the direction or disposal of another; inability to help or provide for one's self.
Reduced to a servile dependence on their mercy.
Burke. 5. A resting with confidence; reliance; trust.
Affectionate dependence on the Creator is the spiritual life of the soul.
T. Erskine. 6. That on which one depends or relies; as, he was her sole dependence.
7. That which depends; anything dependent or suspended; anything attached a subordinate to, or contingent
on, something else.
Like a large cluster of black grapes they show
And make a large dependence from the bough.
Dryden. 8. A matter depending, or in suspense, and still to be determined; ground of controversy or quarrel. [Obs.]
To go on now with my first dependence.
Beau. & Fl.
