A Word A Day — atone

with Anu Garg

atone

(uh-TOHN, rhymes with phone)

verb tr., intr.: To make amends for.

From the contraction of the phrase “at one” meaning “to be in harmony”.

“While society must be protected from those who might pose it a threat, it is vital we let people get on with their lives once they have atoned.”
Éamonn Mac Aodha; Minor Offenders Need More Help to Escape Spectre of Past Crime; The Irish Times (Dublin); Apr 28, 2009.

Whoe’er excels in what we prize / Appears a hero in our eyes. -Jonathan Swift, satirist (1667-1745)