ABY

expiate, aby, abye, atone

(verb) make amends for; “expiate one’s sins”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

aby (third-person singular simple present abys, present participle abying, simple past and past participle abought)

(transitive, obsolete) To pay for; to buy. [12th-16th c.]

(transitive, archaic) To pay the penalty for; to atone for, to make amends. [from 12th c.]

(intransitive, obsolete) To pay the penalty; atone. [12th-16th c.]

(transitive, archaic) To pay as penalty, to suffer. [from 12th c.]

(intransitive, obsolete) Endure; remain. [14th-16th c.]

(transitive, obsolete, now, limited to Scotland) Endure; experience; tolerate. [from 16th c.]

Usage notes

• Aby and abide became confused with each other for a period of time.

Synonyms

• (to pay for): purchase, procure; See also buy

• (to pay the penalty for): make amends, make up

• (to pay the penalty): atone, expiate, propitiate

• (to pay as penalty): suffer, sustain

• (to endure): go on, hold on; See also persist

• (to tolerate): brook, put up with; See also tolerate

Anagrams

• Bay, YBA, bay

Source: Wiktionary


A*by", A*bye", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Abought.] Etym: [AS. abycgan to pay for; pref. a- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + bycgan to buy. See Buy, and cf. Abide.]

1. To pay for; to suffer for; to atone for; to make amends for; to give satisfaction. [Obs.] Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. Shak.

2. To endure; to abide. [Obs.] But nought that wanteth rest can long aby. Spenser.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

29 March 2024

FAULTFINDING

(adjective) tending to make moral judgments or judgments based on personal opinions; “a counselor tries not to be faultfinding”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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