redeem

re·deem

transitive verb \ri-ˈdēm\

Definition of REDEEM

1

a : to buy back : repurchase

b : to get or win back

2

: to free from what distresses or harms: as

a : to free from captivity by payment of ransom

b : to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental

c : to release from blame or debt : clear

d : to free from the consequences of sin

3

: to change for the better : reform

4

: repair, restore

5

a : to free from a lien by payment of an amount secured thereby

b (1) : to remove the obligation of by payment <the United States Treasury redeems savings bonds on demand> (2) : to exchange for something of value <redeem trading stamps>

c : to make good : fulfill

6

a : to atone for : expiate <redeem an error>

b (1) : to offset the bad effect of (2) : to make worthwhile : retrieve

— re·deem·able \-ˈdē-mə-bəl\ adjective

Examples of REDEEM

1. The exciting ending partially redeems what is otherwise a very dull movie.
2. He wants to redeem his reputation.
3. You can redeem this coupon at any store.
4. You have 90 days to redeem your winning lottery ticket.
5. This voucher can be redeemed for a free meal at several local restaurants.
6. The government will pay you interest when it redeems the bonds you bought.
7. The company redeemed some of its stock.
8. Nearly 115 million Americans clip coupons and redeem them at some point during the year. —David J. Morrow, New York Times, 17 Mar. 1996
9. … nor does the book try to justify whatever is reckless about it by claiming some redeeming social or political value. —Philip Roth, Reading Myself and Others, 1975
10. She had once told Rowland that she would show him, some day, how gracious her manners could be; she was now redeeming her promise. —Henry James, Roderick Hudson, 1875
11. We had, however, redeemed … the character of our country, by showing that there was at any rate a body of persons determined to use all the means which the law afforded to obtain justice for the injured. —John Stuart Mill, Autobiography, 1874
12. Their temporal dominion is now confirmed by the reverence of a thousand years; and their noblest title is the free choice of a people, whom they had redeemed from slavery. —Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1788

Origin of REDEEM

Middle English redemen, from Anglo-French redemer, modification of Latin redimere, from re-, red- re- + emere to take, buy; akin to Lithuanian imti to take

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to REDEEM

Synonyms

answer, complete, comply (with), fill, keep, meet, fulfill, satisfy

Antonyms

breach, break, transgress, violate

Related Words

conclude, consummate, finalize, finish, perfect; accomplish, achieve, bring about, bring off, carry out, effect; commit, compass, discharge, execute, follow through (with), make, perform

Near Antonyms

default (on); disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over, slight

See Synonym Discussion at rescue

Rhymes with REDEEM

abeam, agleam, airstream, berseem, beseem, bireme, blaspheme, bloodstream, centime, coal seam, cold cream, crossbeam, daydream, downstream, dream team, drill team, egg cream, esteem, extreme, French seam, grapheme, Gulf Stream, hakim, headstream, high beam, hornbeam, I beam, ice cream, inseam, jet stream, kilim, lexeme, live steam, low beam, mainstream, midstream, millime, millstream, moonbeam, morpheme, onstream, phoneme, pipe dream, regime, rhyme scheme, sealed-beam, sememe, sidestream, slipstream, sour cream, sunbeam, supreme, tag team, Tarim, third-stream, toneme, trireme, unseam, upstream, warp beam, wet dream