bet
[noun]
Synonyms:
- gamble, long shot, risk, speculation, stake, venture, wager
[verb]
Synonyms:
- gamble, chance, hazard, risk, speculate, stake, venture, wager

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. bet¹ S1 /bet/ verb (past tense and past participle bet, present participle betting)

1. [intransitive and transitive] to risk money on the result of a race, game, competition, or other future event ⇒ gamble:
How much do you want to bet?
bet (somebody) that
He bet me £10 that I wouldn’t do it.
bet (something) on something
She bet all her money on a horse that came last.
bet against
I wouldn’t bet against him winning the championship this year.

2. I bet/I’ll bet spoken
a) used to say that you are fairly sure that something is true, something is happening etc, although you cannot prove this:
Bet you wish you’d arrived earlier.
I bet you she won’t come.
b) used to show that you understand or can imagine the situation that someone has just told you about:
‘God, I was so angry.’ ‘I bet you were.’
‘It makes things much easier.’ ‘Yeah, I’ll bet it does.’
c) used to show that you do not believe what someone has just told you:
‘I’m definitely going to give up smoking this time.’ ‘Yeah, I bet!’

3. you bet! spoken used to emphasize that you agree with someone or are keen to do what they suggest:
‘Going to the party on Saturday?’ ‘You bet!’

4. (do you) want to bet?/wanna bet? spoken used to say that you think something that someone has just said is not true or not likely to happen:
‘I’m sure Tom’ll be here soon.’ ‘Wanna bet?’

5. don’t bet on it/I wouldn’t bet on it spoken used to say that you do not think something is likely to happen:
He said he’d finish by tomorrow, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

6. you (can) bet your life/your bottom dollar spoken used when you are sure that you know what someone will do or what will happen:
You can bet your bottom dollar he won’t be back.

7. bet the farm/ranch American English informal to risk everything that you own:
Do we really want to bet the ranch on this deal?

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. bet² S3 noun [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Perhaps from abet 'support, help' (14-16 centuries), from abet 'to help']

1. an agreement to risk money on the result of a race, game etc or on something happening, or the money that you risk:
a £50 bet
bet on
A few of us had a bet on who’d get married first.
place/put/lay a bet
We placed bets on three horses.
Bookmakers are already taking bets on the outcome.
win/lose a bet
If he scores now, I’ll win my bet.

2. your best bet spoken used when advising someone what to do:
Your best bet is to put an advert in the local newspaper.
The train might be a better bet.

3. a good/safe bet an action or situation that is likely to be successful or does not involve much risk:
If you’re looking for long-term growth, the government’s own saving certificates are a pretty good bet. ⇒ hedge your bets at hedge²(2)

4. it’s a safe/sure/fair bet (that) spoken used to say that something seems almost certain:
I think it’s a pretty safe bet that he’ll get the job.

5. my bet spoken used when saying what you expect to happen in the future:
My bet is he’ll be back this time next week.

6. do something for a bet to do something stupid, dangerous etc to win money from someone or to prove that you can do it:
He climbed the tree for a bet.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

bet
noun
ADJ. good, safe, sure | fair | outside (= with a very small chance of winning)
VERB + BET have, make, place, put I'm going to place a bet on that white horse.
accept, take We are now taking bets on the election result.
win | lose
PREP. ~ on I had a bet on the three o'clock race.
~ with I made a bet with a friend.
PHRASES do sth for a bet, my bet is/it is my bet (that) … My bet is that Liverpool will win.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

bet

have a bet
Are you going to have a bet on the race?
place/put/lay a bet on something
She placed a bet on a horse called Beethoven.
take a bet (=accept someone's money as part of a bet)
They're taking bets on the result of the election now.
win a bet
France won the game and I won my bet.
lose a bet
If I have a bet, I always lose it.
make a bet (=risk money on the way a situation will develop in future)
If you want to make money on the stockmarket, you have to start making bets.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

bet
bet
See: you bet or you bet your boots or you bet your life

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

BET
Broadcast Energy Transmitter (G.I. Joe: The Movie)

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲