It's the word of the day for October 2nd.
Today's word is a tone spelled A-T-O-N-E.
A tone is a verb.
To atone for something is to make amends for it.
That is to do something good as a way of showing that you are sorry about or have remorse for a mistake or bad behavior.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the Boston Herald,
the catcher atone for his earlier miscue by hitting a game tying solo Homer to straightaway center field.
Atone has its roots in the idea of reconciliation and harmony.
It grew out of the middle English phrase at on, meaning in harmony,
a phrase echoed in current expressions like feeling at one with nature.
When a tone joined modern English in the 16th century,
it meant to reconcile and suggested the restoration of a peaceful and harmonious state between people or groups.
Today, a tone specifically implies addressing the damage or disharmony caused by one's own behavior.
With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.
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