militate
Posted: 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"?
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).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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."