/ri deem"/ , v.t.
1. to buy or pay off; clear by payment: to redeem a mortgage.
2. to buy back, as after a tax sale or a mortgage foreclosure.
3. to recover (something pledged or mortgaged) by payment or other satisfaction: to redeem a pawned watch.
4. to exchange (bonds, trading stamps, etc.) for money or goods.
5. to convert (paper money) into specie.
6. to discharge or fulfill (a pledge, promise, etc.).
7. to make up for; make amends for; offset (some fault, shortcoming, etc.): His bravery redeemed his youthful idleness.
8. to obtain the release or restoration of, as from captivity, by paying a ransom.
9. Theol. to deliver from sin and its consequences by means of a sacrifice offered for the sinner.
[ 1375-1425; late ME redemen redimer redimere, equiv. to red- RED- + -imere, comb. form of emere to purchase (cf. EMPTOR, RANSOM) ]
Syn. 1-3. repurchase. REDEEM, RANSOM both mean to buy back. REDEEM is wider in its application than RANSOM, and means to buy back, regain possession of, or exchange for money, goods, etc.: to redeem one's property. To RANSOM is to redeem a person from captivity by paying a stipulated price, or to redeem from sin by sacrifice: to ransom a kidnapped child. 8, 9 . free, liberate, rescue, save.
Ant. 1. abandon.