Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ



Jun 12, 2012
This week's theme
Verbs

This week's words
ratiocinate
redound
daunt
exculpate
perdure

The gift of words
Send a gift subscription
In less than a minute!
Discuss
Feedback
RSS/XML
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

redound

PRONUNCIATION:
(ri-DOUND)

MEANING:
verb intr.:
1. To contribute to (someone's credit, honor, etc.).
2. To come back upon.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Old French redonder (to overflow), from Latin redundare (to overflow), from red-/re- (back) + undare (to surge). Ultimately from the Indo-European root wed- (water, wet), which also gave us water, winter, hydrant, redundant, otter, and vodka. Earliest documented use: before 1382.

USAGE:
"The Prime Minister stated that such an arrangement could redound to the benefit of Barbadians."
Pipeline Link With T&T Soon?; The Barbados Advocate; Mar 11, 2012.

"MIT officials fear that the explosion in the harbor will redound badly on Tech."
Janet Maslin; 'The Technologists' by Matthew Pearl; The New York Times; Feb 22, 2012.

See more usage examples of redound in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
We are on the cusp of this time where I can say, "I speak as a citizen of the world" without others saying, "God, what a nut." -Lawrence Lessig, professor and activist (b. 1961)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith