“Count on Me“ Idiom Meaning, Origin & History | Superduper English Idioms

0:00 - How to Say, “Count on me.” 0:17 - Examples of “Count on me.” 1:18 - Meaning of “Count on me.” 2:03 - Origin of “Count on me.” 4:08 - More Examples of “Count on me.” 4:55 - Conclusion “Count on me.” If someone says, “Count on me,” they mean that you can believe in, rely on, depend on, trust them. You might also be asked, “Can I count on you?” which is the same as asking if you can be trusted, banked on, believed in, are reliable. “Don’t worry, I’ll have your computer fixed in a couple hours - you can count on me,” your friend might reassure you. Maybe you’re unsure if you’ll be able to make it on time for an early-morning run, “That’s really early, don’t count on me to be there on time!” “You can’t count on public transit in this city, so take a taxi if you don’t have a lot of time,” a local might tell you while you’re visiting Bogotá. If you follow “count on someone” with something negative, it means that you can expect, anticipate, predict that this unwanted thing will happen. “Count on them to get paint everywhere!” you might say to your partner about your kids after an art activity. “Oops! Count on me to burn the food,” your cousin might jokingly say at a dinner she’s hosting, after forgetting about something in the oven. The origin of the idiom, “count on me,” or “count on you,” is not entirely clear, but it is probably linked to the definition of “count”... … because “count” is not only used when it comes to numbers; but is also used to include, consider something or to be significant, to matter. Indeed, the exact same idiom can be found in other languages; such as French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Russian, Arabic and more. In contrast, they’d say “lean on me,” in Japanese and Korean; “look toward me,” in Chinese; and “rely on me,” in Hindi. Being able to trust others, or “count on them”, is one of the most fundamental aspects of human relationships and is arguably the foundation for the progress of any human society. If people in a society or community can be counted on, then that group of people will be secure, happy, prosperous, wealthy. On the individual level, being able to “count on others” and others being able to “count on you”, leads to a peaceful and fruitful existence. “You can count on me and your mom to always support your choices,” your dad might tell you after you reveal a big decision to him. Possibly, you’re at the post office, asking the clerk about sending a package, “If I pay for express post, can I count on it to be there by Friday?” “Bring your warmest coat! You can count on it to be really cold in the winter here,” your friend might tell you over the phone as you plan your trip to Canada. So, the next time you want to let someone know that you are reliable, trustworthy, dependable, responsible, be sure to say, “Count on me.” #superduperenglishidioms #englishidioms #idioms #proverbs