rely
rely Lexical Profile
rely Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To place full trust or confidence in someone or something (usually followed by 'on' or 'upon').
"You can always rely on her to keep a secret and offer sound advice."
To be dependent on someone or something for necessary support, supply, or help (usually followed by 'on' or 'upon').
"Many rural communities rely on seasonal rainfall to irrigate their crops."
Word Nuance & Usage
Syntactically, 'rely' is an intransitive verb that almost always requires the preposition 'on' or 'upon' before its object (e.g., 'rely on a friend', never 'rely a friend').
• Rhymes for rely
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English relien ('to rally, assemble'), borrowed from Old French relier ('to bind together, fasten'), from Latin religare ('to bind fast'), later influenced in sense by the verb 'lie' (as in resting upon something for support).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.