amend definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

a·mend [ ə ménd ] (past and past participle a·mend·ed, present participle a·mend·ing, 3rd person present singular a·mends)

verb

Definition:

1. transitive verb improve or correct something: to make changes to something, especially a piece of text, in order to improve or correct it

2. transitive verb revise legislation: to revise or alter formally a motion, bill, or constitution

3. intransitive verb behave better than before: to behave in a more acceptable way than in the past

[13th century. Via French amender< Latin emendare "to correct" < menda "error"]

a·mend·a·ble adjective

a·men·da·to·ry adjective

Word Usage


	amend or emend? The word to use in general contexts involving change for the better or legislative alterations is amend: We amended the rules so that we could admit 20 more members to the club.Has the Senate amended the House bill?Emend is normally restricted to the correction of errors in a printed or written text: The text was emended after proofreaders found several serious errors in it.