- redeem
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/ri deem"/, v.t.1. to buy or pay off; clear by payment: to redeem a mortgage.2. to buy back, as after a tax sale or a mortgage foreclosure.3. to recover (something pledged or mortgaged) by payment or other satisfaction: to redeem a pawned watch.4. to exchange (bonds, trading stamps, etc.) for money or goods.5. to convert (paper money) into specie.6. to discharge or fulfill (a pledge, promise, etc.).7. to make up for; make amends for; offset (some fault, shortcoming, etc.): His bravery redeemed his youthful idleness.8. to obtain the release or restoration of, as from captivity, by paying a ransom.9. Theol. to deliver from sin and its consequences by means of a sacrifice offered for the sinner.[1375-1425; late ME redemen < MF redimer < L redimere, equiv. to red- RED- + -imere, comb. form of emere to purchase (cf. EMPTOR, RANSOM)]Syn. 1-3. repurchase. REDEEM, RANSOM both mean to buy back. REDEEM is wider in its application than RANSOM, and means to buy back, regain possession of, or exchange for money, goods, etc.: to redeem one's property. To RANSOM is to redeem a person from captivity by paying a stipulated price, or to redeem from sin by sacrifice: to ransom a kidnapped child. 8, 9. free, liberate, rescue, save.Ant. 1. abandon.
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Universalium. 2010.