Advertisement

Origin and history of amend

amend(v.)

early 13c., amenden, "to free from faults, rectify," from Old French amender "correct, set right, make better, improve" (12c.), from Latin emendare "to correct, free from fault," from ex "out" (see ex-) + menda, mendum "fault, physical blemish; error," from PIE *mend- "physical defect, fault" (source also of Sanskrit minda "physical blemish," Old Irish mennar "stain, blemish," Welsh mann "sign, mark;" Hittite mant- "something harming").

The spelling with a- is unusual but early and also is found in Provençal and Italian. In English, the word has been supplanted in senses of "repair; cure" by its shortened offspring mend (v.). The meaning "to add to legislation" (ostensibly to correct or improve it) is recorded from 1777. Related: Amended; amending.

also from early 13c.

Entries linking to amend

mend(v.)

c. 1200, "to repair" (clothes, a tool, a building), "remove defects" (from something broken, defaced, deranged, or worn), from a shortened form of Old French amender "correct, set right, make better, improve" (see amend). Meaning "to put right, atone for (faults and errors), amend (one's life), repent" is from c. 1300. Intransitive sense of "to grow better, improve" is from late 14c. Related: Mended; mending.

amendable(adj.)

1580s, "capable of correction or repair;" see amend + -able. Related: Amendability.

Advertisement

More to explore

amendment
early 13c., "betterment, improvement;" c. 1300, of persons, "correction, reformation," from Old French amendement "rectification, correction; advancement, improvement," from amender "to amend" (see amend). The sense expanded 17c. to include "correction of error in a legal process
mendacious
"given to lying, speaking falsely; having the characteristics of a lie, false, untrue," 1610s, from French mendacieux and directly from Latin mendacium "a lie, untruth, falsehood, fiction," from mendax (genitive mendacis) "lying, deceitful," from menda "fault, defect, carelessnes
rectify
c. 1400, rectifien, "to cure, heal, remedy" (a bad or faulty condition); early 15c. "set (someone) straight in conduct or behavior;" late 15c., "correct an error, set (something) straight or right;" from Old French rectifier, literally "to make straight" (14c.), from Late Latin r
redress
(a person; a sense now obsolete); late 14c., "restore, put right" (a wrong, error, offense); "repair; relieve; improve; amend...
modify
late 14c., modifien, "alter, amend, adjust, change the properties, form, or function of;" also "set limits, keep within the...
revise
Meaning "to look over again with intent to improve or amend" is recorded from 1590s. Related: Revised; revising....
right
Old English rihtan "to straighten (a path); rule, set up, set right, amend; guide, govern; restore, replace," from riht (...
purify
mid-14c., purifien, "to free from spiritual pollution," from Old French purefier "purify, cleanse, refine" (12c.), from Latin purificare "to make pure," from purus "pure" (see pure) + combining form of facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Meaning "free from extra
alleviate
early 15c., alleviaten, "to mitigate, relieve (sorrows, suffering, etc.)," from Late Latin alleviatus, past participle of alleviare "lift up, raise," figuratively "to lighten (a burden), comfort, console," from assimilated form of Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + levis "light" in weight
perfect
early 15c. classical correction of Middle English parfit "flawless, ideal" (c. 1300), also "complete, full, finished, lacking in no way" (late 14c.), from Old French parfit "finished, completed, ready" (11c.), from Latin perfectus "completed, excellent, accomplished, exquisite,"

Share amend

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near amend
Advertisement