militate

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William Hupy
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militate

Postby William Hupy » Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:40 am

I see the relationship between military and militate and why they are related. One observation: is anyone able to use militate in a sentence without following it with "against"?
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Slava
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Re: militate

Postby Slava » Wed Sep 24, 2014 10:09 am

How about "for"?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: militate

Postby Perry Lassiter » Wed Sep 24, 2014 2:35 pm

Justice militates aggresive action against perpetrators.
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Stargzer
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Re: militate

Postby Stargzer » Thu Sep 25, 2014 3:50 pm

I see the relationship between military and militate and why they are related. One observation: is anyone able to use militate in a sentence without following it with "against"?
militate (v.)
1620s, "to serve as a soldier" (now rare), from Latin militatum, past participle of militare "serve as a soldier," from miles "soldier" (see military (adj.)). Sense developed via "conflict with," to "be evidence" for or against (1640s). Related: Militated; militating.
mil· i· tate (mĭl' ĭ-tāt')

intr.v.
mil· i· tat· ed, mil· i· tat· ing, mil· i· tates


To have force or influence; bring about an effect or a change: "All these factors militated to a different targeting priority" (Tom Clancy). "The chaste banality of his prose . . . militates against the stories' becoming literature" (Anthony Burgess).
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ETYMOLOGY:
Latin mīlitāre, mīlitāt-, to serve as a soldier, from mīles, mīlit-, soldier
"No amount of logic can militate those stupid "ISILs" in Iraq and Syria. They only understand two things: holy war and a blood feud. They wanted to start the former, but they have created the latter."
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee


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