make amends

to repair a damaged relationship

TRANSLATION

to make amends = Wiedergutmachung leisten; Schadenersatz leisten to make amends for = büßen LEO

STATISTICS

IN THE PRESS

Montoya is particularly keen to MAKE AMENDS for mistakes in Turkey and Belgium, which cost him points, and he also wants to try to recreate last year's performance when his Williams won ahead of Raikkonen's McLaren.

(BBC News - 21st September 2005)

Common phrase:
You make a mistake. Instead of simply saying "I apologize" or I'm sorry", another nice possibility would be "How can I make amends?"

Did you
know?

make a-mends

To compensate someone for a grievance or injury, as in

"They must make amends for the harm they've caused you."

This expression was first recorded in 1330.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

Synonyms:
admit guilt, apologize, ask forgiveness, ask pardon, atone, beg pardon, bow to, confess, excuse oneself, give satisfaction, make amends, make reparations, offer compensation, offer excuse, purge, retract, square, withdraw

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