Definition of the word reckon on

The phrase "reckon on" has its roots in the Old English word "cunnan", which means "to know". Over time, the verb "to reckon" evolved, meaning "to count" or "to calculate". The phrase "reckon on" originated in Middle English, and it conveyed the meaning of "to depend on" or "to rely on". The Oxford English Dictionary traces the first recorded use of "reckon on" to the 1400s, in the phrase "I moote now clerkes Have noon moore pore men to rekken on." ("I must now depend only on clerics, who have no poorer men to rely on.") Over time, the meaning of "reckon on" has evolved. In modern English, it is often used to express the idea of expecting or anticipating something, as in "I reckon on being home by six o'clock tonight." The phrase "reckon on" is still commonly used in everyday speech, although its usage has declined somewhat in recent years. It remains a useful and expressive way to convey ideas of expectation, dependence, and reliance in English.