MILITATE

militate

(verb) have force or influence; bring about an effect or change; “Politeness militated against this opinion being expressed”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

militate (third-person singular simple present militates, present participle militating, simple past and past participle militated)

To give force or effect toward; to influence.

(obsolete) To fight.

Anagrams

• limitate

Source: Wiktionary

Mil"i*tate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Militated; p. pr. & vb. n. Militating.] Etym: [L. militare, militatum, to be a soldier, fr. miles, militis, soldier.]

Definition: To make war; to fight; to contend; -- usually followed by against and with. These are great questions, where great names militate against each other. Burke. The invisible powers of heaven seemed to militate on the side of the pious emperor. Gibbon.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition