Help me remember this word?
February 10, 2012 1:59 AM   Subscribe

What's the word I am trying to think of?

I remember reading a word that was new to me in an article but I have forgotten it since. I vaguely remember the definition as 'formally contributing to a cause favorably' or something of the sort. The word is something similar to durend or dupend dudend?! but I can't seem to get it right. I tried running a search in Wordweb with '*end' but it is not coming up.
This is really irritating me. Please help me remember the word! Thank you!
posted by naskar to Writing & Language (23 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Stipend?
posted by Effigy2000 at 2:33 AM on February 10, 2012


Starting with 'd' and ending with 'end', this Tip of My Tongue tool has a couple of suggestions to do with money, but nothing which matches exactly:

Dispend: To spend; to lay out; to expend.
Dividend: A sum of money to be divided and distributed.

Maybe you can try a couple of other possibilities there though.
posted by lucidium at 2:51 AM on February 10, 2012 [2 favorites]


dowers?
posted by 2legit2quit at 3:22 AM on February 10, 2012


Endue?
posted by phaedon at 3:25 AM on February 10, 2012


Endow?
posted by permafrost at 4:11 AM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]


This is really basic but it wouldn't be simply "donate" would it? Or maybe "endow"?
posted by Cocodrillo at 4:13 AM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]


Or bestow or devote?
posted by Cocodrillo at 4:15 AM on February 10, 2012


Visual Thesaurus might help.
posted by yoga at 4:29 AM on February 10, 2012


Engender ?
posted by FreezBoy at 4:37 AM on February 10, 2012


It only vaguely matches the vowel sounds you remember, but possibly subvent/subvention?
posted by drlith at 5:26 AM on February 10, 2012


Disburse?
posted by supercres at 5:31 AM on February 10, 2012


Deodand is a thing forfeited or given "to God" (or the government). In law, something which becomes forfeit because it has caused a person's death. The term deodand derives from the Latin phrase "deo dandum" which means "to be given to God."
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 6:22 AM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]


Subsidize?
posted by wachhundfisch at 7:14 AM on February 10, 2012


Endorse.
posted by michaelh at 7:25 AM on February 10, 2012


Response by poster: This is really annoying me now! I remember it because it's a word i haven't come across. That's why i looked it up, and remember the definition.
It ends with "end" And it begins with a D. It's a very unusual term for "contribute favorably to a cause".
I'm still stumped.
posted by naskar at 8:06 AM on February 10, 2012


Response by poster: I remember the context in this way
"it will surely didend his chances".
Didend? Dudend? Durend? Argh! I looked it up using the built-in iOS dictionary and remember thinking how i have never come across this word before.
posted by naskar at 8:10 AM on February 10, 2012


Best answer: Finally remembered it!
Thanks to all that helped out!
posted by naskar at 8:17 AM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]


Distend?
posted by aparrish at 8:17 AM on February 10, 2012


Response by poster: But I'd like to know if this is a common word? or is it only me?
posted by naskar at 8:18 AM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]


Maybe this will help?
posted by PorcineWithMe at 8:24 AM on February 10, 2012


Best answer: But I'd like to know if this is a common word? or is it only me?

If you're asking whether "redound" is a common word nowadays, then no, not really. It's a bit old–fashioned now, and was more common a hundred or so years ago. I doubt the average person would know it's definition, and rather rely on context to understand its meaning.
posted by Jehan at 9:04 AM on February 10, 2012


I've only ever heard it in the phrase "it will redound well to his chances". From your linked definition it seems that the word by itself doesn't imply positive connotations.

(I think I've always just turned it into 'rebounds' when I've heard it before. Not a valid synonym, but close enough in meaning for military work.)
posted by benito.strauss at 9:21 AM on February 10, 2012


Best answer: Not common. I've seen as "X will redound to his/her benefit."
posted by Cocodrillo at 1:11 PM on February 10, 2012


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