militate
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militate
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"?
William A. Hupy
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Re: militate
How about "for"?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
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Re: militate
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
"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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