redd

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɛd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Etymology 1

Fusion of Middle English redden (“to save, rescue, deliver, rid, free, clear”), from Old English hreddan (“to save, deliver, recover, rescue”), from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną and Middle English reden (“to clean up, clear”), from Old English ġerǣdan (“to put in order, arrange, prepare”), from Proto-Germanic *garaidijaną (“to arrange”). More at rid, ready.

Alternative forms

• red

Verb

redd (third-person singular simple present redds, present participle redding, simple past and past participle redd or redded)

1. (obsolete) To free from entanglement.
2. (obsolete) To free from embarrassment.
3. (Scotland and Northern England) To fix boundaries.
4. (Scotland and Northern England) To comb hair.
5. (Scotland and Northern England) To separate combatants.
6. (Scotland and Northern England) To settle, usually a quarrel.
7. (Scotland and Northern England) To tidy up, clear away.

Derived terms

• outredd, outred
• redd up

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “redd”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Etymology 2

From Middle English, from Old Norse ryðja, Middle Low German, compare Dutch redden. In modern use probably actually a back-formation from ready.

Alternative forms

• red

Verb

redd (third-person singular simple present redds, present participle redding, simple past and past participle redded)

1. (transitive, Pennsylvania) To clean, tidy up, to put in order.

   I've got to redd up the place before your mother gets back.

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “redd”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Etymology 3

Origin obscure, possibly from the act of the fish scooping, clearing out a spawning place, see redd above.

Noun

redd (plural redds)

1. A spawning nest made by a fish.
   • 2007, Michael Klesius, Fishes' Riches, National Geographic (March 2007), 32,

     A female chinook salmon digs her redd, or nest, prior to spawning in Oregon's John Day River.

Etymology 4

From the archaic verb rede or read.

Verb

redd

1. simple past and past participle of rede
2. (obsolete) simple past and past participle of read
   • The Works of John Knox, 1841

     Verrelie that which I have heard and redd in the woorde of God

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɾɛdː/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse hræddr, from hræða (“frighten”).

Adjective

redd (neuter singular redd, definite singular and plural redde, comparative reddere, indefinite superlative reddest, definite superlative reddeste)

1. frightened, afraid

Antonyms

• uredd

Etymology 2

Verb

redd

1. imperative of redde

References

• “redd” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From Old Norse hræddr, from hræða (“frighten”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rɛdː/

Adjective

redd (indefinite singular redd, definite singular and plural redde, comparative reddare, indefinite superlative reddast, definite superlative reddaste)

1. frightened; afraid
2. careful with; worried about

Synonyms

• (afraid): ottefull, fælen

Antonyms

• uredd

Related terms

• reddast

Etymology 2

Verb

redd

1. imperative of redda

References

• “redd” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Scots

Alternative forms

• red

Etymology

From Middle English redden, from Old English hreddan, from Proto-West Germanic *hraddjan, from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną.

Verb

redd (third-person singular simple present redds, present participle reddin, simple past redd, past participle redd)

1. to free, relieve
2. to clear, vacate
3. to disentangle, unravel
4. to comb
5. to arrange, settle
6. to fix, determine
7. to tidy see modern Norwegian rydde, to tidy

Swedish

Noun

redd c

1. a road (towards a harbour), a roadstead

   ligga på redden

   to ride towards the anchor in the road

Declension

Participle

redd

1. past participle of reda

References

• redd in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• Redd in Wessely's Swedish-English Dictionary (c. 1880s)