amende honorable

[ uh-mend on-er-uh-buhl; French a-mahn daw-naw-ra-bluh ]

noun

, plural a·mendes ho·no·ra·bles [uh, -, mendz, , on, -er-, uh, -b, uh, l, a, -mah, n, daw-naw-, ra, -bl, uh].

1. a formal apology to a person whose honor has been offended.

amende honorable

/ amɑ̃d ɔnɔrablə /

noun

1. a public apology and reparation made to satisfy the honour of the person wronged Sometimes shortened toamende

Word History and Origins

Origin of amende honorable¹

From French, dating back to 1660–70; amends, honorable

Word History and Origins

Origin of amende honorable¹

C18: literally: honourable compensation

Example Sentences

The carping had subsided, he wrote, but few of the carpers had as yet made the “amende honorable” that now clearly was due Chicago.

From Literature

His sentence was "to make the amende honorable, naked to his shirt, a rope round his neck, holding in his hand a lighted wax-candle weighing two pounds, before the principal door of the cathedral, whither he will be conducted by the executioner, and there, on his knees, with uncovered head," confess his fault and ask pardon of God and the king.

From Project Gutenberg

Howbeit, my fair readers will learn with satisfaction that the doctrines of this aforesaid Almaricus were condemned by the church as heretical, and his bones were therefore dug up, and cast into a common sewer, as an amende honorable to the offended ladies.

From Project Gutenberg

Princess, 448.Amende honorable, Punishment, what, 433.Amerongen,

From Project Gutenberg

Do, worthy Mr. Editor, make the amende honorable by publishing the true characters of the MSS. forwarded by S. H. H., which you have so inadvertently published as original.

From Project Gutenberg