redd

See also: Redd, rədd, and -redd

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɛd/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophones: red, read

Etymology 1

Fusion of Middle English reden (“to clean up, to clear”) and redden (“to save, rescue, deliver, rid, free, clear”). The former is from Old English ġerǣdan (“to put in order, arrange, prepare”), from Proto-West Germanic *garaidijan, from Proto-Germanic *garaidijaną (“to arrange”); the latter, from Old English hreddan (“to save, deliver, recover, rescue”), from Proto-West Germanic *hraddjan, from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną. More at rid and ready.

The Scottish and Northern English senses (especially 3.5 “tidy up, clear away”) are likely from Old Norse ryðja (“to clear, free, empty”), from Proto-Germanic *rudjaną, having conflated with the native word reden (see above); if so, that would make them related to Danish and Norwegian Bokmål rydde (“to clear, tidy”).

The Pennsylvania (Dutch English) sense is from Middle Low German redden, cognate with Dutch redden (“to save, rescue”), both ultimately also from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną (“to loosen, set free, save”). The meaning is clearly historically conflated and related to the native English word, however their exact origin and relationship are unclear.

Alternative forms

• red

Verb

redd (third-person singular simple present redds, present participle redding, simple past and past participle redd or redded)(obsolete or dialectal)

1. To free from entanglement.
2. To free from embarrassment.
3. (Scotland and Northern England)
   1. To fix boundaries.
   2. To comb hair.
   3. To separate combatants.
   4. To settle, usually a quarrel.
   5. To tidy up, clear away.
4. (Pennsylvania) To clean, tidy up, to put in order.

   I've got to redd the place before your mother gets back.

Derived terms

• outredd, outred
• redd up

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “redd”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Etymology 2

Origin obscure, possibly from the act of the fish scooping, clearing out a spawning place, see redd above.

Noun

redd (plural redds)

1. A spawning nest made by a fish.
   • 2007, Michael Klesius, Fishes' Riches, National Geographic (March 2007), 32,

     A female chinook salmon digs her redd, or nest, prior to spawning in Oregon's John Day River.

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

redd

1. simple past and past participle of rede
2. (obsolete) simple past and past participle of read
   • The Works of John Knox (1514–72), published 1841

     Verrelie that which I have heard and redd in the woorde of God

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɾɛdː/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse hræddr, from hræða (“frighten”).

Adjective

redd (neuter singular redd, definite singular and plural redde, comparative reddere, indefinite superlative reddest, definite superlative reddeste)

1. frightened, afraid

Antonyms

• uredd

Etymology 2

Verb

redd

1. imperative of redde

References

• “redd” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• radd (dialectal)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Norse hræddr, from hræða (“frighten”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rɛdː/, /rædː/
• IPA^(key): /ræɟː/ (Trøndelag)

Adjective

redd (indefinite singular redd, definite singular and plural redde, comparative reddare, indefinite superlative reddast, definite superlative reddaste)

1. frightened; afraid
2. careful with; worried about

Synonyms

• (afraid): ottefull, fælen

Antonyms

• uredd

Related terms

• reddast

Etymology 2

Verb

redd

1. imperative of redda

References

• “redd” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Scots

Alternative forms

• red

Etymology

From Middle English redden, from Old English hreddan, from Proto-West Germanic *hraddjan, from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną.

The sense “to tidy” is likely related to Norwegian Bokmål rydde, which has the same meaning.

Verb

redd (third-person singular simple present redds, present participle reddin, simple past and past participle redd)

1. to free, relieve
2. to clear, vacate
3. to disentangle, unravel
4. to comb
5. to arrange, settle
6. to fix, determine
7. to tidy

Swedish

Etymology 1

From Old Swedish redh, from Old Norse reiðr, from Middle Low German rêde, reide, from Old Saxon *rēda, from Proto-Germanic *raidō (“ride, journey”). Doublet of red (“ride; raid”).

Noun

redd c

1. (nautical) road (towards a harbour), a roadstead

   ligga på redden ― to ride towards the anchor in the road

Declension

Declension of redd

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	redd	redds
	definite	redden	reddens
plural	indefinite	redder	redders
	definite	redderna	reddernas

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Participle

redd

1. past participle of reda

References

• “redd”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• Redd in Wessely's Swedish-English Dictionary (c. 1880s)