afresh

American  

[uh-fresh] / əˈfrɛʃ /

adverb

1. anew; once more; again.

   to start afresh.

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afresh British  

/ əˈfrɛʃ /

adverb

1. once more; once again; anew

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Etymology

Origin of afresh

First recorded in 1500–10; a- ² + fresh

Explanation

When you do something afresh, you start it again as if it's the first time. You might, for example, start afresh baking a new apple pie after burning the first one. When you see the adverb afresh, it's often following "start" or "begin." Doing something afresh is getting a fresh start, or a complete do-over. Your grandfather might start afresh with his new job as a goat farmer after a lifetime working as an accountant. Or you might start afresh with a classmate you used to argue with, determined to find a way to get along. In both examples, someone is approaching things in a brand new way.

Related Words

• anew
• once more