renew

ri-NOO/ɹɪˈnu/UKri-NYOO/ɹɪˈnjuː/AUSruh-NYOO/ɹəˈnjuː/

8 meanings of renew

1
verbtransitive
To bring something back to a fresh or original state, as if it were new.
Careful restoration helped renew the cathedral's faded interior.
The spa treatment renewed her tired skin almost completely.
Similarrestore, refresh, renovate, rejuvenate, revitalize
Note
The word's history makes this the central sense. Old English nīewian, "to restore, renovate," is the adjective new made into a verb. Middle English anewen later became renewen, re- plus new, possibly modeled on Latin renovāre. Shakespeare's Medea gathers the enchanted herbs "that did renew old Æson," and what she restores is an old man's youth.
2
verbtransitive or intransitive
To extend the time for which something is borrowed, especially a library book that is coming due.
She renewed her library books for another two weeks.
The borrower forgot to renew before the deadline passed.
Note
In lending, the object can simply drop away. You can renew these three books, or you can just renew, online or at the desk. What is renewed is really the loan rather than the book: nothing about the book changes, only the date it is due back.
3
verbtransitive
To begin something again; to recommence it.
Both sides agreed to renew negotiations the following spring.
The committee renewed its investigation when new evidence surfaced.
Similarresume, restart, reopen, recommence
4
verbtransitive
To replace something broken or used up, keeping a needed supply at the required level.
The crew renewed the ship's fresh water before the long voyage.
Farmers renew the soil's nutrients with seasonal cover crops.
Similarreplenish, restock, refill, replace, restore
Oppositedeplete, exhaust
5
verbtransitive
To make a person spiritually fresh again; to restore or regenerate someone inwardly.
Like spring rain reviving a field that had dried out over the winter.
They believe that faith can renew the soul and bring back lost hope.
Many traditions hold that grace renews the weary human heart.
Similarregenerate, restore, revive, refresh
Note
Theology's word for inner rebirth, with deep roots in English scripture. Tyndale's New Testament (1526) speaks of being changed "by the renuynge of youre wittes". The Holy Bible of 1611 sets the inward man, "renewed day by day," against the outward man who perishes. The object is a person, mind or heart. The verb is often passive, because in this sense one is renewed rather than renewing oneself.

Less common meanings

6
verbarchaicintransitive
To become new, or as good as new; to revive of itself.
The weary traveler felt his strength renew as dawn broke over the hills.
Renewing neighborhoods dealing with vacant buildings badly need options other than demolition or dangerous vacant spaces.
2010, Michael Allen, "St. Louis Preservation Fund"
Note
Here no one does the renewing; the thing renews of itself, with no object. The use is now rare and can sound old-fashioned. It still turns up in reflective and civic writing: an interview with Louis Dupre (1997) asks whether Christianity can still "renew," and Michael Allen (2010) writes of "renewing neighborhoods." For everyday prose, the "make new again" sense with an object is the safer construction.
7
verbraretransitive
To state something again; to repeat it.
Critics renew the same objection each time the bill returns.
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings.
1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost
Similarrepeat, reiterate, restate
8
noun
A renewal; the act or an instance of renewing something.

Practice

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Origin

From Middle English renewen, an alteration (possibly modeled on Latin renovāre) of the earlier anewen ("to renew"), from Old English nīewian ("to restore, renovate, renew"): essentially re- plus new. It is related to Old High German giniuwōn and Old Norse nýja, both meaning "to renew."