aby

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈbaɪ/ UK /əˈbaɪ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to pay the penalty for; to atone for

Thou shalt aby this insult dearly, the knight warned.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to pay the penalty for; to... atone expiate pay suffer redeem

Word family

Related forms abide

Etymology

From Middle English abyen, abien, from Old English ābicgan ('to pay for, requite'), from ā- (intensive prefix) + bicgan ('to buy'). The sense was later confused with and absorbed by 'abide'.

ābicgan Old English bicgan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# aby

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈbaɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈbaɪ/

## Meanings
1. to pay the penalty for; to atone for

## Examples
- Thou shalt aby this insult dearly, the knight warned.

## Synonyms
- atone
- expiate
- pay
- suffer
- redeem

## Related Forms
- abide

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ābicgan
- Root: bicgan

## Etymology
From Middle English abyen, abien, from Old English ābicgan ('to pay for, requite'), from ā- (intensive prefix) + bicgan ('to buy'). The sense was later confused with and absorbed by 'abide'.

## AI Etymology
Aby comes from Middle English abyen, abien, from Old English ābicgan ('to pay for, requite'), from ā- (intensive prefix) + bicgan ('to buy'). The sense was later confused with and absorbed by 'abide'. The historical trail runs through Old English ābicgan and Old English bicgan. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. The later sense follows a semantic development already present in the word's history. In modern use it means to pay the penalty for; to atone for. Related forms include abide.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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aby