atone

verb

/əˈtəʊn/

[intransitive] (formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they atone	/əˈtəʊn/ /əˈtəʊn/
he / she / it atones	/əˈtəʊnz/ /əˈtəʊnz/
past simple atoned	/əˈtəʊnd/ /əˈtəʊnd/
past participle atoned	/əˈtəʊnd/ /əˈtəʊnd/
-ing form atoning	/əˈtəʊnɪŋ/ /əˈtəʊnɪŋ/

jump to other results

atone (for something) to act in a way that shows you are sorry for doing something wrong in the past赎（罪）；弥补（过错） synonym make amends
- to atone for a crime赎罪
- a desire to atone赎罪的欲望
Word OriginMiddle English (originally in the sense ‘make or become united or reconciled’, rare before the 16th cent.): from at one in early use; later by back-formation from atonement.

BNC: 34962 COCA: 22954

atone