bet English · revision 2938

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|formation=|attested=1592}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bet/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is of unknown origin.^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) The noun and verb appear in the 1590s together, at first in the slang of petty criminals.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It may be a shortening of [[abet]], in an obsolete noun sense “instigation, support”,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)^(Etymonline) or from obsolete beet “to make good, improve”, from Old English bētan, related to [[better]], if betting was thought of as “improving” a contest.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) A link with Middle English bet “advantage”, from the old comparative of [[well]], has not been established.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The noun: 1592.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) The verb: 1597, in Shakespeare's ''Henry IV, Part 2''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The intransitive verb, “to lay a wager”, is from about 1600,^(Etymonline) and ''betting'' is in Shakespeare's ''Henry V'' (1599).^(Barnhart 1988) The thing wagered is from 1796.^(Etymonline) American slang assertions followed: ''bet your life'' (1848), ''bet your boots'' (1856) and ''you bet'' “be assured”, by 1857, said to be California slang.^(Etymonline) ''Betcha'' is from 1922.^(OED 1989) In many dialects of Scotland, Ireland and England ''bet'' was a past tense of ''beat''.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1592 – noun, a wager.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1597 – verb, to stake.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – to lay a wager.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1796 – the amount staked.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1848 – ''bet your life''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1857 – ''you bet''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1922 – ''betcha''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An agreement to forfeit something to another party if a forecast proves wrong; a [[wager]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The amount or thing risked; a [[stake]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A person or thing to bet on, or a course of action: ''your best bet''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To risk money or something of value on an uncertain outcome.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To be confident that: ''I bet it rains''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[overbet]]

+ * [[bettor]]

+ * [[unbet]]

+ * [[side bet]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[abet]]

+ * [[better]]

+ * [[bait]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}