Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To change for the better; improve.
  • intransitive verb To alter the wording of (a legal document, for example) so as to make more suitable or acceptable. synonym: correct.
  • intransitive verb To enrich (soil), especially by mixing in organic matter or sand.
  • intransitive verb To better one's conduct; reform.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Compensation: generally used in the plural. See amends.
  • To free from faults; make better, or more correct or proper; change for the better; correct; improve; reform.
  • To make a change or changes in the form of, as a bill or motion, or a constitution; properly, to improve in expression or detail, but by usage to alter either in construction, purport, or principle.
  • To repair; mend.
  • 4. To heal or recover (the sick); cure (a disease).
  • To grow or become better by reformation, or by rectifying something wrong in manners or morals.
  • To become better (in health); recover from illness.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To grow better by rectifying something wrong in manners or morals; to improve.
  • transitive verb To change or modify in any way for the better.
  • transitive verb to make some change in the details or provisions of a bill or measure while on its passage, professedly for its improvement.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To make better.
  • verb intransitive To become better.
  • verb obsolete, transitive To heal (someone sick); to cure (a disease etc.).
  • verb transitive To make a formal alteration in legislation by adding, deleting, or rephrasing.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb to make better
  • verb set straight or right
  • verb make amendments to

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English amenden, from Old French amender, from Latin ēmendāre : ē-, ex-, ex- + mendum, fault.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French amender, from Latin ēmendō ("free from faults"), from ex ("from, out of") + mendum ("fault"). Confer aphetic mend.

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Examples

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  • Sir all I want is a chance to amend

    Past infidelities please do not send

    Me far away from my wise señorita.

    (Wandering alone, by Belle and Sebastian)

    December 27, 2008