September 25, 2006 - Militate

Militate \MIL-ih-tayt\, intransitive verb:
To have force or influence.

In our current era of politics, many factors militate against changes in policies.
-- Reed Hundt, You Say You Want a Revolution

Even though Simpson's youth, limited professional experience, lack of reputation, unmarried status, and modest social origins all militated against success, the twenty-eight-year-old Simpson applied for the post.
-- Donald Caton, What a Blessing She Had Chloroform

By 2003 many of the uncertainties which militate against a "yes" might be resolved.
-- Anatole Kaletsky, "Why Brown is right to put off the euro test", Times (London), June 21, 2001

Militate comes from Latin militatus, past participle of militare, "to serve as a soldier," from miles, milit-, "a soldier."

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for militate

YouTube is reading militate as militant. Thank goodness. I'll find something that way.

His American accent needs some work, but it probably sounds real enough to these English folks. His Jesse Jackson-esque Rhymin is top-notch though!



Power to the Link!