bet
bet Lexical Profile
bet Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An act of risking a sum of money or valued item against someone else's on the basis of the outcome of an unpredictable event, such as a race or game.
"They made a friendly bet on which team would win the championship."
The actual sum of money or item risked in a wager.
"She doubled her bet after seeing the favorable cards on the table."
A choice, course of action, or contender considered in terms of its likelihood of success or advantageous outcome (used informally).
"Taking the commuter train is your best bet if you want to avoid rush-hour traffic."
• verb
To risk a sum of money or valued item against someone else's on the basis of the outcome of a future event, such as a race or game.
"He decided to bet twenty dollars on the underdog in the final match."
To feel sure or express strong confidence that something is the case or will happen (used informally).
"I bet she has already finished reading the entire novel."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'bet' (invariant in past tense and past participle) is overwhelmingly the standard form in both American and British English, the regular form 'betted' is occasionally encountered in older literature or specific regional dialects when referring to a literal financial wager.
• Rhymes for bet
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 16th century as criminals' cant, likely shortened from 'abet' or derived from an unrecorded Old English word related to 'better' in the sense of making amends or stakes.