bet

 
Pronunciation: /bɛt/

verb (bets, betting; past and past participle bet or betted)

  • 1 [no object] risk 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: he bet on baseball games [with clause]: I would be prepared to bet that he wanted to leave [with object]: most people would bet their life savings on the prospect
  • [with object and clause] risk a sum of money against (someone) on the outcome or likelihood of a future event: [with two objects]: I bet you £15 you won’t chat her up
  • 2 [with clause] informal used to express certainty: I bet this place is really spooky late at night he’ll be surprised to see me, I’ll bet

noun

  • an act of betting a sum of money: she had a bet on the Derby for a bet he once rode 200 miles in nine hours
  • a sum of money staked: the bookies are taking bets on his possible successor
  • [with adjective] informal a candidate or option offering a specified likelihood of success: City looked a good bet for victory your best bet is to call the official liquidators
  • (one's bet) informal one’s opinion about a future event: my bet is that Arsenal won’t win anything

Phrases

all bets are off

informal the outcome of a situation is unpredictable: when they get lonely all bets are off

bet the farm

North American informal risk everything that one owns on a bet, investment, or enterprise: this isn’t a great time to bet the farm on the Internet

don't (or I wouldn't) bet on it

informal used to express doubt about something: he may be a suitable companion—but don’t bet on it

want to bet?

informal used to express strong disagreement with a confident assertion: ‘You can’t be with me every moment.’ ‘Want to bet?’

you bet

informal you may be sure; certainly: ‘Would you like this piece of pie?’ ‘You bet!’

Origin:

late 16th century: perhaps a shortening of the obsolete noun abet 'abetment'