Fate
/feɪt/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe preordained course of events; destiny.
/feɪt/
The development of events beyond a person's control, considered as determined by a supernatural power.
It was fate that brought them together.
💡 Simply: Fate is like a movie script that's already written for you, and you can't change what happens, even if you try. Like, if you're *fated* to win the lottery, you will, no matter what.
👶 For kids: Fate is what's supposed to happen to you, like a story already written.
More Examples
She believed in the power of fate to determine her future.
The cruel fate of the protagonist saddened the audience.
How It's Used
"The course of human fate has often been shaped by unforeseen events."
"The hero's fate was sealed from the moment he accepted the quest."
A final and often unfortunate outcome.
/feɪt/
An adverse outcome; ruin.
The fate of the company depended on the upcoming merger.
💡 Simply: Imagine something terrible happens, like a car accident. That would be a bad *fate*.
👶 For kids: When something bad happens at the end of a story.
More Examples
The building was left to its fate after the earthquake.
The spy's fate was sealed when his cover was blown.
How It's Used
"The protagonist met a tragic fate."
"The fate of the lost expedition remains unknown."
Idioms & expressions
a twist of fate
An unexpected change in circumstances, often with significant consequences.
"By a twist of fate, he ended up meeting his future wife on a business trip."
seal someone's fate
To make sure that something bad will happen to someone.
"The judge's decision sealed the prisoner's fate."
From Latin *fatum* ('that which has been spoken, divine decree, destiny'), ultimately from the PIE root *bhā- ('to speak').
The concept of fate has been central to philosophical and literary discourse for centuries, dating back to ancient Greece and Rome.
Memory tip
Think of the Fates in Greek mythology who spun the threads of life.
Word Origin
"that which has been spoken, divine decree, destiny"