Wiktionary

commend

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English commenden, from Old French comender, from Latin commendō (“commend, entrust to, commit, recommend”), from com- + mandō (“to commit, intrust, enjoin”), from manus (“hand”) + dō (“to put”). Doublet of command.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /kəˈmɛnd/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛnd

Verb

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commend (third-person singular simple present commends, present participle commending, simple past and past participle commended)

  1. (transitive) To congratulate or reward.
    The schoolboy was commended for raising the alarm about the burning building.
  2. (transitive) To praise or acclaim.
    The new law has little to commend it: it even worsens the legal certainty of the nation.
    • 1485 – Thomas Malory. Le Morte Darthur, Book X, Chapter xliiij, leaf 242v
      Thenne Quene Gueneuer commended hym and soo dyd alle other good knyghtes made moche of hym excepte sire Gawayns bretheren /
      "Then Queen Guenever commended him, and so did all other good knights make much of him, except Sir Gawaine’s brethren."
    • 1697, Virgil, “[Dedication of the Æneis]”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page [166]:
      Segrais on this Subject of a Heroe's ſhedding Tears, obſerves that Hiſtorians commend Alexander for weeping, when he read the mighty Actions of Achilles.
  3. (transitive) To entrust or commit to the care of someone else.
    After being imprisoned, I had to commend my kids to my mom's safekeeping.
  4. (transitive) To mention by way of courtesy, implying remembrance and goodwill; give regards from
  5. (transitive) To recommend.
    • a. 1677 (date written), Matthew Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, Considered and Examined According to the Light of Nature, London: […] William Godbid, for William Shrowsbery, […], published 1677, →OCLC:
      Among the objects of knowledge, two especially […] commend themselves to our contemplation.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 16:1:
      I commend vnto you Phebe our sister, which is a seruant of the Church which is at Cenchrea:
  6. (transitive, dated) To adorn; to set off.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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Noun

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commend (plural commends)

  1. (obsolete) Commendation; praise.
  2. (obsolete, in the plural) Compliments; greetings.

Further reading

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