Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural Recompense for grievance or injury.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Compensation for a loss or injury; recompense; satisfaction; equivalent.
  • Recovery of health; amendment.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Now const. with sing. verb. Compensation for a loss or injury; recompense; reparation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Compensation for a loss or injury; recompense; reparation.
  • verb Third-person singular simple present indicative form of amend.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
  • noun something done or paid in expiation of a wrong

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English amendes, from Old French, pl. of amende, reparation, from amender, to amend; see amend.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French amendes, plural of amende. Compare with amende.

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Examples

  • What Woods does to make amends is nobodys friggin business.

    Think Progress » Fox News Televangelist Hume: Tiger Would Be ‘Farther Down The Road’ To ‘Forgiveness’ With Christianity 2010

  • While the wronger will admit no wrong, while he mocks at the idea of amends, or while, admitting the wrong, he rejoices in having done it, no suffering could satisfy revenge, far less justice.

    Unspoken Sermons Third Series 1824-1905 1889

  • While the wronger will admit no wrong, while he mocks at the idea of amends, or while, admitting the wrong, he rejoices in having done it, no suffering could satisfy revenge, far less justice.

    Unspoken Sermons Series I., II., and II. George MacDonald 1864

  • The use of that exact phrase amends the Endangered Species Act by implication, Department of Justice attorneys argued, even if the rider didn't reference the specific law.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • The use of that exact phrase amends the Endangered Species Act by implication, Department of Justice attorneys argued, even if the rider didn't reference the specific law.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • Faced with the threat of a writ, the BBC – in a cowardly act of dhimmitude – made an offer of 'amends' and an apology on the Question Time website.

    Easy money, expensive words 2009

  • If the Chinese have the good sense to make some kind of amends, then it'll settle down.

    The Bear and the Dragon Clancy, Tom, 1947- 2000

  • Later she would have to apologise to him. to make some kind of amends for what she was doing, but if she stayed in this room with Lewis even one second longer.

    A Cure For Love Jordan, Penny 1991

  • a deep modification -- the idea of amends for the wrong done taking the place of revenge.

    Mutual Aid; a factor of evolution Petr Alekseevich Kropotkin 1881

  • The only kind of amends he could make for the other's hurt was to provide hands, feet, and strength for the man who did know what to do and how to do it.

    The Time Traders Andre Norton 1958

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