destinydes‧ti‧ny /ˈdestɪni/ ●●○ noun (plural destinies) 
Nancy wondered whether it was her destiny to live in England and marry Melvyn.► see thesaurus at future2[uncountable] the power that some people believe decides what will happen to them in the future: She always had a strong sense of destiny.
WORD ORIGINdestiny
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French destinee, from Latin destinare ‘to fasten, fix’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Susan wondered whether it was her destiny to marry Jorge and live in Mexico.
- The government wants to give people more control over their own destinies.
- Hearing once more the call of destiny, Teclis volunteered to go to the aid of mankind.
- However Portia is not content to leave her destiny in such a way.
- It was a country that he had no control over its destiny and needed the world's attention.
- The destiny of man is not separated from the destiny of the world.
- They assert that the destiny of the soul is related to the activity of the soul during its habitation in the body.
- They tinkered with the destiny of many species, on land and in the ocean.
- This destiny, however, is created entirely by recent history.
THESAURUSwhat will happen to somebody/something
what will happen to someone or something: · He knew that his future was in films.· Shareholders will meet to decide the company’s future.
someone or something’s future – used especially when you are worried that something bad could happen: · The fate of the hostages remains uncertain.· The show’s fate lies in the hands of TV bosses.
what will happen to someone in their life, especially something important: · Sartre believed that everyone is in charge of their own destiny.· He thinks that it is his destiny to lead the country.
what will happen, especially concerning business, the economy, or the weather: · The economic outlook looks good.· Here is the weather outlook for tomorrow.
the idea or possibility that something will happen: · the awful prospect of another terrorist attack· Prospects for a peace settlement don’t look too good.
what will happen to a person, organization etc in the future – used especially when talking about whether or not they will be successful: · Fans are hoping for a change in the club’s fortunes.· Two years ago, my financial fortunes took a turn for the better (=they improved).· In 1680 he decided that his fortune lay in the theatre.
Longman Language Activatorwhat will happen to someone or something in the future what will happen to someone in their job, life etc: · I'm worried about my future.· I had a meeting with my boss to discuss my future.· You really should start thinking about your future. You're not a child anymore.
what will happen to something - use this especially to talk about whether something will be successful, will continue to exist etc: · The memo refers to a meeting in Los Angeles, where the future of the network was discussed.
what will happen to someone - used about an important official decision, or about an event in which something very bad happens: · Congress will meet to discuss the fate of the US nuclear defense shield.decide somebody's/something's fate: · The fate of the prisoners will be decided by a panel of three judges.· He urged a nationwide referendum to decide the fate of the country. somebody's/something's fate is sealed (=fixed and definite): · His fate was sealed when The New York Times learned of the situation and began preparing an article about it.seal the fate of (=decide it definitely): · This afternoon's debate is likely to seal the fate of the imprisoned aid workers.
what someone is going to do in their life and what is going to happen to them during it: · The government wants to give people more control over their own destinies.be somebody's destiny to do something: · Susan wondered whether it was her destiny to marry Jorge and live in Mexico.
a general idea of what people expect to happen in the future, and whether they expect things to go well or badly: · The economic outlook is better than it has been for several years.long-range/short-range outlook: · Company officials insist the long-range outlook for share holders will be brighter.the outlook for: · With drought conditions continuing, the outlook for farmers is not very good.
the idea or possibility that something will happen in the future: · I hope I never have to have a brain operation - it must be an appalling prospect.the prospect of something/doing something: · The prospect of putting weapons in space is frightening to many people.· I had read a great deal about Professor Chomsky and I felt very excited at the prospect of meeting him.· We are facing the prospect of a very hard winter.prospects for: · Prospects for a peace settlement in the region are not very hopeful at the moment.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY She always had a strong sense of destiny.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
1[countable usually singular] the things that will happen to someone in the future, especially those that cannot be changed or controlled SYN fatesomebody’s destiny She always had a strong sense of destiny.· They had not learned to decipher that terrible handwriting of human destiny, illness and death.· It is the high-water mark of the Rebelliona turning point of history and of human destiny!
· But he does not lack confidence or sense of manifest Elvis destiny.· The doctrine of manifest destiny was distinct from the imperialist dynamic that flourished around the turn of the century.· This was manifest destiny trickling south.· Type Policy of manIfest destiny, then press Enter. 21.· This was the language of manifest destiny, whose speakers assumed that they were moral examples to the whole world.
VERB· His whole family, even his whole village, are going to change their destiny.· A hundred failures would not matter, when a single success could change the destiny of the world.· In the intervening period, of course, the Daleks had changed the face and destiny of the show for ever.
· David Pleat has turned down the chance to control his own destiny at crisis-club Luton.· Yet it was also a time when women were left alone to control their own athletic destinies.· This is a fundamental issue which must be addressed by those who control our industry's destiny.· I want to control my destiny.· We shall not be able to influence events that control our destiny.· The only other Pac-10 team that controls its own destiny is Cal.· The magic word Literacy campaigns push back the boundaries of ignorance and give people more chance of controlling their own destiny.· It is men who sit in parliament, debating the laws which control a woman's destiny.
· To what extent should private security agencies be allowed to determine national destinies?· Material and biological conditions always help determine the destiny of civilizations.· These considerations should be borne in mind, as they can determine the ultimate destiny of our music.· But they all ride upon guiding waves, which determine their destiny.· To Governments Democracy is the right of people to participate in running and determining their own destiny.
· To be a street criminal is therefore to fulfil cultural destiny.· The contemporary hero is one who stands out against the crowd to fulfil a personal destiny.· Most animals fulfil their destiny with that curious strategy.
· It is knowledge, not fate, that shapes their destiny.· They shaped the destinies of human beings, but human beings were only one of their concerns.· Nevertheless, our personal philosophy and artistic goals must always play their important part in shaping our destiny.· It shaped the destinies not just of individuals but of entire provinces and kingdoms.
Nancy wondered whether it was her destiny to live in England and marry Melvyn.► see thesaurus at future2[uncountable] the power that some people believe decides what will happen to them in the future: She always had a strong sense of destiny.- politic
- political
- political action committee
- political asylum
- political correctness
- political economy
- political geography
- politically
- politically correct
- politically incorrect
- political machine
- political prisoner
- political science
- political scientist
- politician
- politicization
- politicize
- politicized
- politicking
- politico
- politico-
- politics
- polity
- polka
- polka dot