# reward

Pronunciation: US say "ri-WORD" /ɹɪˈwɔɹd/; UK say "ri-WAWD" /ɹɪˈwɔːd/

## Noun

1. Something of value given to a person in return for an act, especially good work or a service.
   - Simple: Something good that you get for doing something well or helpful.
   - _Employees who exceed their targets receive a cash reward at the end of the year._
   - _The airline offers rewards such as free flights to its most frequent travelers._
3. A prize or sum of money promised to whoever performs a particular deed, such as capturing a fugitive or recovering lost property.
   - Simple: Money or a prize promised to anyone who does a certain thing, like finding a lost pet.
   - _The museum announced a substantial reward for the return of the stolen painting._
   - _Reward posters for the outlaw hung in every town along the railroad._
5. The consequence that an action brings to the person responsible for it, whether favorable or unfavorable.
   - Simple: What you get because of what you did, whether it is good or bad.
   - _Exhaustion and an empty bank account were the reward for his reckless ambition._
   - _The reward of all that careful planning was a flawless launch._

## Verb

2. To give something of value to (a person, or for an act) in recognition or compensation.
   - Simple: To give someone something good because of what they did.
   - _The company rewards employees who suggest cost-saving ideas._
   - _Investors hope the market will reward their patience._
4. To serve as fair compensation or repayment for (an effort or action).
   - Simple: To be a good result that makes up for hard work or effort.
   - _The stunning summit views rewarded every grueling hour of the climb._
   - _Few careers reward patience as generously as medicine does._

## Verb

6. To give or bestow (something, such as money or goods) as a prize or recompense. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To give something, like money or land, as a prize or payment.

## Origin

**Meanings 1, 3, 5** — From Middle English reward, from Old French reward, from the verb rewarder ('to reward'), formed from re- plus warder ('to guard, keep'). The Anglo-Norman forms come from Old Northern French variants and are ultimately of Germanic (Frankish) origin. It is related to regard, warden, and guard, and it mostly replaced Old English mēd (Modern English meed).
**Meanings 2, 4, 6** — From Middle English rewarden, from Anglo-Norman rewarder ('to reward'), formed from re- plus warder ('to guard, keep'), from Old Northern French, from Frankish *wardōn, from Proto-Germanic *wardōną ('to guard, defend'), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer- ('to cover, shelter, defend, guard'). It is cognate with Old English weardian ('to guard') and is a partial doublet of regard.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/reward (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).