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# restitution

noun (restitution — uncountable)

«restitution» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (formal, law) Restitution is giving back something that was stolen or lost to its owner, or paying for damage you caused. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#m1)
2. (ethics) Restitution is making things right after doing wrong, by repairing or repaying. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#m2)

### In the lessons

In ethics lessons pupils learn that saying sorry is good, but restitution goes further: if you broke a window, you help pay for it. In law, a judge may order an offender to make restitution. In the Bible, Zacchaeus the tax collector promised to pay back four times what he had cheated. Phrases: make restitution, pay restitution, restitution for damage.

### Examples

- The judge ordered the boys to make restitution for the broken fence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#x1)
- Zacchaeus made restitution by paying back four times as much. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#x2)
- Saying sorry is a start, but restitution is fixing it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#x3)
- The museum made restitution of the stolen paintings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#x4)
- She did extra chores as restitution for breaking the lamp. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#x5)
- Restitution helps the victim, not just the wrongdoer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#x6)
- Apollo, by means of his all-seeing power, soon discovered who it was that had robbed him, and hastening to Cyllene, demanded restitution of his property. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/#x7)

### Note

Uncountable; formal. Everyday words: paying back, making up for, making amends. In maths word problems "four times what he took" means multiply.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it means paying back what was lost or damaged, often the price of stolen or harmed property.

**Interpretation.** Jewish law holds that a wrongdoer must repay the owner and ask forgiveness, and a thief who cannot pay may be sold into service.

### Examples

- But if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. (Torah EXO.22.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/restitution/#x1)
- And if a man borrow aught of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof not being with it, he shall surely make restitution. (Torah EXO.22.14, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/restitution/#x2)
- If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be bloodguiltiness for him — he shall make restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. (Torah EXO.22.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/restitution/#x3)

### Note

Uncountable; formal. Everyday words: paying back, making up for, making amends. In maths word problems "four times what he took" means multiply.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «restitution» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/restitution/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«restitution» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/restitution.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «restitution» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/restitution/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«restitution» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/restitution.html) on Mova free.