/'predɪkət; `prɛdɪkət/
n (grammar) part of a statement that says sth about the subject, eg `is short' in `Life is short' 谓语（话中对主语进行陈述的部分, 如 Life is short 中的 is short）. Cf 参看 subject1 4.

/'predɪkeɪt; `prɛdɪ,ket/
v (fml 文)
1 [Tn, Tf, Tnt] declare or assert that (sth) is the case 宣称或断言（某事物）
*predicate a motive to be good 断言某动机是好的
* predicate that the market collapse was caused by weakness of the dollar 声称市场价格暴跌是由于美元疲弱而引起的.
2 [Tn.pr esp passive 尤用于被动语态] ~ sth on sth base sth on sth; make sth necessary as a consequence of sth 使某事物依据于另事物; 使某必需的事物成为另事物的结果
*The project was predicated on the assumption that the economy was expanding. 这一计画是以经济发展的设想为依据的.