reward

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Something you are given for doing something good or useful.

   For catching the thief, you'll get a nice reward.

2. 2
   verb

   To give someone something in return for good work or behaviour.

   The company rewards staff who work hard.

3. 3
   noun

   A sum of money offered for catching a criminal or finding something.

   The police offered a reward for information about the robbery.

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Simplified etymology

Reward came in Middle English from a variant of Old French reguard, “regard” or “heed,” which was also an early English sense. The idea of a payment showing regard developed early, and by the mid-16th century the word could mean money offered for capturing a criminal or returning lost property.

From Middle English rewarden, from Anglo-Norman rewarder (“to reward”), from re- + warder (“to guard, keep”), from Old Northern French [Term?], from Frankish *wardōn (“to guard, keep”), from Proto-Germanic *wardōną (“to guard, defend”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to cover, shelter, defend, guard, shut”). Cognate with Old Saxon wardōn (“to guard, provide for, protect”), Old English weardian (“to guard”), Old High German wartēn (“to watch, keep, look after”). More at ward. Piecewise doublet of regard. Displaced Old English lēanian. In this sense, displaced Old English ġieldan, whence Moder…

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