v.
(bets, betting; past and past part. bet or betted)
- risk a sum of money or other valued item against someone else's on the basis of the outcome of an unpredictable event such as a race or game.
- informal used to express certainty:
he'll be surprised to see me, I'll bet.
n.
an act of betting.
▸a sum of money staked.
▸
informal a candidate or option offering a specified likelihood of success:
Allen looked a good bet for victory.
▸
(one's bet)
informal one's opinion.
Phrase
- you bet!
informal you may be sure; certainly.
Derivative
- betting n.
- bettor
(also better)
n.
Etymology
C16: perh. a shortening of the obs. noun abet ‘abetment’.