redress
ri-DRESS
/rɪˈdrɛs/
Remedy or set right (an undesirable or unfair situation).
Often used in the phrase 'redress the balance,' suggesting a correction of a systemic inequality or a long-standing grievance.
The story behind the word. In Old French, 'drecier' meant to straighten. To redress was to take something that had been bent or made crooked (like a law or a right) and pull it straight again.
Word relationships
- rectify: Rectify is more common for fixing a simple error; redress is for fixing an injustice.
- remedy: Remedy can refer to medical or practical fixes; redress is almost always legal or moral.
- perpetuate: To perpetuate is to make a bad situation or injustice continue indefinitely.
Commonly confused with
- address: To address a problem is to speak about it or start dealing with it; to redress it is to actually fix the harm done.
Collocations
- seek redress
- legal redress
- redress the balance
Example sentences
- "The victims are seeking legal redress for the environmental damage caused by the oil spill." Human Rights
- "Affirmative action is often seen as a way to redress historical imbalances in the workplace." Social Justice
Memory hook
RE-DRESS: If a situation is 'ugly,' you need to 're-dress' it to make it look right again. Make it right.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 're-dress' (to put clothes on again).
Fun facts
- The 'Right to Redress' is a core consumer right in many countries, ensuring you can get a refund or repair for faulty goods.
Related words
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