The word predicate is taught only as a grammatical term in schools. But when I encountered a sentence "capitalism is predicated on bad behavior" in a recent The New York Times article titled "Capitalists and Other Psychopaths" I noticed that the word has been used in verb form.
Yes the word also occurs as verb in English. To predicate a thing on 'something' means that you base it on that 'something'. The word 'predicate' as verb has two senses according to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (OALD). The meaning is interesting and fantastic.
OALD entry goes like this:
Yes the word also occurs as verb in English. To predicate a thing on 'something' means that you base it on that 'something'. The word 'predicate' as verb has two senses according to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (OALD). The meaning is interesting and fantastic.
OALD entry goes like this:
1. ~ sth on/upon sth to base sth on a particular belief, idea or principle
Example: Democracy is predicated upon the rule of law.
2. ~ that… | ~ sth to state that sth is true
The article predicates that the market collapse was caused by weakness of the dollar.
Will it be right to say "I predicate my post on OALD entry"? I am doubtful. Because OALD is not a belief, idea or principle.
