remit

[ verb noun ri-mit; noun ree-mit ]

verb (used with object)

, re·mit·ted, re·mit·ting.

1. to transmit or send (money, a check, etc.) to a person or place, usually in payment.

   Synonyms: forward

   Antonyms: retain

2. to refrain from inflicting or enforcing, as a punishment, sentence, etc.
3. to refrain from exacting, as a payment or service.
4. to pardon or forgive (a sin, offense, etc.).

   Synonyms: overlook, excuse

   Antonyms: condemn

5. to slacken; abate; relax:

   to remit watchfulness.

   Synonyms: diminish

   Antonyms: increase

6. to give back:

   to remit an overpayment.

   Synonyms: restore, return

7. Law. to send back (a case) to an inferior court for further action.
8. to put back into a previous position or condition.
9. to put off; postpone; defer.
10. Obsolete. to set free; release.
11. Obsolete. to send back to prison or custody.
12. Obsolete. to give up; surrender.

verb (used without object)

, re·mit·ted, re·mit·ting.

1. to transmit money, a check, etc., as in payment.
2. to abate for a time or at intervals, as a fever.
3. to slacken; abate.

noun

1. Law. a transfer of the record of an action from one tribunal to another, particularly from an appellate court to the court of original jurisdiction.
2. something remitted, as for further deliberation or action.
3. the act of remitting.
4. Chiefly British. the area of authority of a person or group.

remit

verb

1. also intr to send (money, payment, etc), as for goods or service, esp by post
2. law (esp of an appeal court) to send back (a case or proceeding) to an inferior court for further consideration or action
3. to cancel or refrain from exacting (a penalty or punishment)
4. also intr to relax (pace, intensity, etc) or (of pace or the like) to slacken or abate
5. to postpone; defer
6. archaic.
   to pardon or forgive (crime, sins, etc)

noun

1. the area of authority or responsibility of an individual or a group

   by taking that action, the committee has exceeded its remit

2. law the transfer of a case from one court or jurisdiction to another, esp from an appeal court to an inferior tribunal
3. the act of remitting
4. something remitted
5. a proposal from a branch of an organization put forward for discussion at the annual general meeting

Derived Forms

• reˈmittable, adjective

Other Words From

• re·mit·ta·ble adjective
• non·re·mit·ta·ble adjective
• non·re·mit·ta·bly adverb
• pre·re·mit verb (used with object) preremitted preremitting
• un·re·mit·ta·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of remit¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English remitten, from Latin remittere “to send back, let go back, concede, allow,” equivalent to re- “again; back” + mittere “to send”; re-

Word History and Origins

Origin of remit¹

C14: from Latin remittere to send back, release, re- + mittere to send

Example Sentences

Yet even someone as senior as Xie is unlikely to have full remit to negotiate on his country’s behalf.

From Washington Post

Space travel has, for the most part, remained the remit of professional astronauts or the very wealthy.

From MIT Technology Review

Immigration is just one of the difficult topics under his remit.

From Time

Its remit is narrow—it does not have jurisdiction over government agencies, banks, or nonprofits.

From MIT Technology Review

That is a complex remit that they have been happy to leave to customer-facing teams.

From Digiday

But that was not within the remit of the Dutch investigators.

From The Daily Beast

He questioned whether preventing pictures being taken was part of the police protection unit's remit.

From The Daily Beast

Fifty minutes later, when the remit to oversee the bid was awarded to Hunt, Osborne replied, “I hope you like the solution!”

From The Daily Beast

The French war indemnity enabled him to redeem a considerable portion of the state debt and to remit certain taxes.

From Project Gutenberg

He added, that Mrs. Grants father was extremely affluent, and he should not wonder if he was to remit 500l.

From Project Gutenberg

For cabin passage in yonder vessel, tax free and duly paid, we will remit the rest.

From Project Gutenberg

The American Consuls can give you the names and the amounts to remit for single copies.

From Project Gutenberg

The beleaguerers made themselves great fires, and seemed not to remit in their watchfulness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• defer