Assoil
[ə-SOYL]
Part of speech: verb
Origin: Middle English, late 12th century (earliest known reference)
1.
To absolve or release (someone) from blame or sin; to forgive, to pardon.
2.
To atone or expiate for (something).
Examples of Assoil in a sentence
"After their apology, I assoiled my neighbor for driving over my flowers."
"After I forgot my mother's birthday, I assoiled by bringing her flowers the next day."
About Assoil
This word comes from the Middle English “assoilen,” meaning “to absolve or release someone from bonds of sin, to free (a country or someone) from an ecclesiastical offense or excommunication; to free someone from a criminal charge or sentence.” This stems from the Anglo-Norman “as(s)oiler” or “as(s)oilier” and the Old French “as(s)oille.” These trace back to the Latin “absolvō,” meaning “to set free from.”
Did you Know?
Although “assoil” is considered an archaic term now, it was widely used in centuries past. It could refer to absolving someone of sin, resolving a doubt, refuting an argument, or atoning for wrongdoing. This version traces back to the Latin “absolvō,” meaning “to set free from.” It also has a secondary, quite simple definition based on its spelling: “to make (something) dirty or soiled; to soil.” The likely etymology of this latter version of “assoil” is “a-,” an intensifying prefix, or “ad-,” a prefix meaning “to, toward,” or indicating an addition or tendency, plus "soil," meaning “to make dirty.”
