- succeed
- late 14c., "come next after, take the place of another," from O.Fr. succeder (14c.), from L. succedere "come after, go near to," from sub "next to, after" + cedere "go, move" (see cede). The sense of "turn out well, have a favorable result" is first recorded late 15c., with ellipsis of adverb (succeed well).