recompense

Everyday

1. (formal) Recompense is money or something else given to make up for harm, loss or trouble someone has suffered. tree →
2. (formal) Recompense can also be a reward for work or effort. tree →
3. (formal) To recompense someone is to pay or reward them for loss, work or trouble. tree →

In the lessons

It is a stiff, formal word used in letters, law and exam texts; in everyday speech people say "compensation", "payback" or "pay". In the Bible some older translations use "recompense" to mean reward or punishment for what someone has done. Phrases: "in recompense for", "as recompense", "without recompense".

Examples

• (formal) The airline offered a free ticket as recompense for the lost luggage. tree →
• (formal) He worked for years without recompense. tree →
• (formal) The company recompensed the families for the damage to their homes. tree →
• In recompense for breaking the window, Tom washed the neighbour's car. tree →
• (Bible) The old Bible says that God will give each person recompense for their deeds. tree →
• (formal) The volunteers asked for no recompense. tree →
• The King recompensed them both with silver and gold. tree →

Note

Formal and uncountable as a noun. Everyday words with similar meaning: compensation, payment, reward, making up for. Do not confuse with "recompose" or "repay"; recompense is usually for loss or work, while "repay" means to pay back money you borrowed.

In Jewish tradition

In Jeremiah, the prophet asks whether evil should be repaid for good. In Job, a person who trusts in vanity will have vanity as his recompense.

Interpretation. In Moses' song, God alone judges and repays, which tradition reads as a reason people should not take revenge themselves. Job's words are read as teaching that a deed brings its own result.

Examples

• If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine adversaries, and will recompense them that hate Me. (Torah DEU.32.41, JPS 1917) tree →
• Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon them shall make haste. (Torah DEU.32.35, JPS 1917) tree →
• Shall evil be recompensed for good? (Prophets JER.18.20, JPS 1917) tree →
• Shall His recompense be as thou wilt? (Writings JOB.34.33, JPS 1917) tree →
• Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; for vanity shall be his recompense. (Writings JOB.15.31, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Formal and uncountable as a noun. Everyday words with similar meaning: compensation, payment, reward, making up for. Do not confuse with "recompose" or "repay"; recompense is usually for loss or work, while "repay" means to pay back money you borrowed.