atone

See also at one

English

WOTD - 19 February 2009    

Etymology

From atone (“reconciled”), from Middle English atone, attone, atoon (“agreed”, literally “at one”), equivalent to at +‎ one.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /əˈtəʊn/
• (US) IPA: /əˈtoʊn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊn
• one and once are pronounced differently from the related words alone, only and atone. Stressed vowels often become diphthongs over time (Latin bona → Italian buona and Spanish buena), and this happened in the late Middle Ages to the words one and once, first recorded ca 1400: the vowel underwent some changes, from ōn → ōōōn → wōn → wōōn → wŏŏn → wŭn.

Verb

atone (third-person singular simple present atones, present participle atoning, simple past and past participle atoned)

1. To make reparation, compensation, or amends, for an offence or a crime or a sin one has committed.
2. (proscribed) To clear (someone else) of wrongdoing, especially by standing as an equivalent.

Synonyms

• (to make reparation): expiate, propitiate

Derived terms

atonable atoneable

atonement atoner

Translations

to make reparation, compensation, or amends, for an offence or a crime

Armenian: քավել (hy) (k'avel) Bulgarian: изкупвам (bg) Czech: odčinit (cs) Finnish: hyvittää (fi), sovittaa (fi)

German: wiedergutmachen (de) Russian: возмещать, компенсировать Scottish Gaelic: dèan rèite (gd) Spanish: expiar (es)

to clear someone else of wrongdoing

Armenian: թողություն տալ (hy) (t'oġut'yun tal) Bulgarian: изкупвам (bg) Finnish: hyvittää (fi), sovittaa (fi)

Russian: искупать, заглаживать Scottish Gaelic: thoir èirig (gd) Spanish: expiar (es)

Anagrams

• neato
• oaten

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA: /a.tɔn/, SAMPA: /a.tOn/

Adjective

atone (epicene, plural atones)

1. expressionless
2. (linguistics) unstressed
3. (linguistics) mute

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Italian

Adjective

atone f.

1. Feminine plural form of atono

Anagrams

• aneto
• etano