redeem
verb/ɹɪˈdiːm/ · IN /ɾiːˈd̪iːm/
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin red- Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₁émeti Proto-Italic *emō Latin emō Latin redimōbor. Old French redimerbor. Middle English redemen English redeem From Middle English redemen, modified from Old French redimer, from Latin redimō (“release; obviate; atone for”), itself from red- (“back; again”) + emō (“buy; gain, take, procure”).
12 senses
- 1To recover ownership of something by buying it back.
- 2To liberate by payment of a ransom.
- 3To set free by force.
- 4To save, rescue.
- 5To clear, release from debt or blame.
- 6To expiate, atone (for).
- 7To convert (some bond or security) into cash.
- 8To save from a state of sin (and from its consequences).
- 9To repair, restore.
- 10To reform, change (for the better).
- 11To restore the honour, worth, or reputation of oneself…
- 12To reclaim.
To recover ownership of something by buying it back.
To liberate by payment of a ransom.
To set free by force.
- Your Highneſſe needs not doubt but in ſhort time, He will with Tamburlaines deſtruction Redeeme you from this deadly ſeruitude.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene ii:
- Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments ...1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 6:6:
To save, rescue.
To clear, release from debt or blame.
To expiate, atone (for).
To save from a state of sin (and from its consequences).
To repair, restore.
To reform, change (for the better).
To restore the honour, worth, or reputation of oneself or something.
Archaic To reclaim.
- Synonyms
- buy back, repurchase
- Antonyms
- abandon
- Derived terms
- coredeem, misredeem, redeemability, redeemable, redeemably, redeemer, redeemless, redeem oneself, redeem the time, unredeem, unredeemable, unredeemably, unredeemed
- Related terms
- redemption, redemptioner, redemptor, Redemptorist, redemptory