err
[ur, er]
- to go astray in thought or belief; be mistaken; be incorrect.
- to go astray morally; sin: To err is human.
- Archaic. to deviate from the true course, aim, or purpose.
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Origin of err
1275–1325; Middle English erren < Old French errer < Latin errāre; akin to Gothic airzjan, Old High German irrôn, German irren
Synonyms
See more synonyms for err on Thesaurus.com2. transgress, lapse.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for err
Contemporary Examples
No one likes it when their sandcastle is knocked over, but his reaction is a bit, err, extreme.
They tend to err heavily on the side of the government where kidnapping is concerned.
In other words, the vast majority of Americans seem to agree with the American Mullahs, err, “hard-liners.”
Err, yes, of course Newt Gingrich loved the number of debates.
But in the humble opinion of this correspondent, it should err on the side of "too high".
Historical Examples
Deeply, however, did she err, and cruelly was she destined to be undeceived.
But I thought it better to err on the side of inclusion than on that of exclusion.
Aino Folk-TalesBasil Hall Chamberlain
Yes, but do not persons often err about good and evil: many who are not good seem to be so, and conversely?
The RepublicPlato
And let us be careful, for I think that the danger will be very serious if we err on this point.
PhilebusPlato
For be assured that if I err in my own conduct I do not err intentionally, but from ignorance.
GorgiasPlato
err
- to make a mistake; be incorrect
- to stray from the right course or accepted standards; sin
- to act with bias, esp favourable biasto err on the side of justice
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Word Origin
C14: erren to wander, stray, from Old French errer, from Latin errāre
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for err
v.
c.1300, from Old French errer "go astray, lose one's way; make a mistake; transgress," from Latin errare "wander, go astray, be in error," from PIE root *ers- "be in motion, wander around" (cf. Sanskrit arsati "flows;" Old English ierre "angry, straying;" Old Frisian ire "angry;" Old High German irri "angry," irron "astray;" Gothic airziþa "error, deception;" the Germanic words reflecting the notion of anger as a "straying" from normal composure). Related: Erred; erring.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper