The word “amend” is a common term used in legal, political, and everyday contexts. It is a verb that refers to the act of making changes or improvements to something that was previously flawed or incorrect. In this article, we will explore the various definitions, origins, and associations of the word “amend”.
Definitions
The term “amend” has several definitions, all of which revolve around the idea of making changes or improvements. According to Merriam-Webster, “amend” means “to put right, correct, or improve”. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “to make better, to improve, to rectify”. In legal contexts, “amend” refers to the act of making changes to a legal document, such as a contract or a law.
Origin
The word “amend” comes from the Latin word “emendare”, which means “to correct” or “to improve”. The word entered the English language in the 14th century, and has been in use ever since.
Meaning in different dictionaries
Different dictionaries provide slightly different definitions of “amend”. For example, the Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “to change the words of a text, especially a law or a legal document”. The Collins Dictionary defines it as “to improve something, especially by making corrections or removing faults”.
Associations
The term “amend” is often associated with legal contexts, such as amending a contract or a law. It is also associated with the idea of improvement or correction, as in amending a mistake or a flaw in a product or service.
Synonyms
There are several synonyms for “amend”, including “correct”, “rectify”, “revise”, “improve”, and “remedy”. These words all convey the idea of making changes or improvements to something that was previously flawed or incorrect.
Antonyms
The antonyms of “amend” include words like “worsen”, “deteriorate”, and “corrupt”. These words convey the opposite idea of making things worse or causing harm.
The same root words
The word “amend” shares the same root word with other related terms, such as “emend”, “amendment”, and “amendatory”. All of these words relate to the idea of making changes or improvements to something that was previously flawed or incorrect.
Example Sentences
Here are some example sentences that use the word “amend”:
- The company will amend the product to address customer complaints.
- The lawyer filed a motion to amend the contract.
- The government is proposing an amendment to the constitution.
- The teacher asked the student to amend their essay to include more details.
- The company had to amend their financial statements after discovering an error.