First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1redress
verb re·dress \ri-ˈdres\
: to correct (something that is unfair or wrong)
Full Definition of REDRESS
transitive verb
1
a (1) : to set right : remedy <looked to charity, not to legislation, to redress social wrongs — W. R. Inge> (2) : to make up for : compensate b : to remove the cause of (a grievance or complaint) c : to exact reparation for : avenge
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Origin of REDRESS
Middle English, from Anglo-French redresser to set upright, restore, redress, from re- + dresser to set straight — more at dress
Synonym Discussion of REDRESS
correct, rectify, emend, remedy, redress, amend, reform, revise mean to make right what is wrong. correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects <correct your spelling>. rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed <rectify a misguided policy>. emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript <emend a text>. remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil <set out to remedy the evils of the world>. redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance <redress past social injustices>. amend, reform, revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes <amend a law>, reform implying drastic change <plans to reform the court system>, and revise suggesting a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes <revise the schedule>.
correct, accurate, exact, precise, nice, right mean conforming to fact, standard, or truth. correct usually implies freedom from fault or error <correct answers> <socially correct dress>. accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care <an accurate description>. exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth <exact measurements>. precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation <precise calibration>. nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination <makes nice distinctions>. right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault <the right thing to do>.
correct, accurate, exact, precise, nice, right mean conforming to fact, standard, or truth. correct usually implies freedom from fault or error <correct answers> <socially correct dress>. accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care <an accurate description>. exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth <exact measurements>. precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation <precise calibration>. nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination <makes nice distinctions>. right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault <the right thing to do>.
Rhymes with REDRESS
abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress
2redress
noun re·dress \ri-ˈdres, ˈrē-ˌ\
: something (such as money) that is given to someone to make up for damage, trouble, etc.
Full Definition of REDRESS
1
a : relief from distress b : means or possibility of seeking a remedy <without redress>
2
: compensation for wrong or loss : reparation
3
a : an act or instance of redressing b : retribution, correction
See redress defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of REDRESS
14th century
Related to REDRESS
REDRESSING Defined for Kids
redress
verb re·dress \ri-ˈdres\
re·dressedre·dress·ing
Definition of REDRESS for Kids
: to set right : remedy <The court will redress an injustice.>
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