renew

English

Etymology

From Middle English renewen, an alteration (possibly on analogy with Latin renovāre) of earlier anewen (“to renew”), from Old English nīewian (“to restore; renovate; renew”), equivalent to re- +‎ new. Cognate with Old High German giniuwōn (“to renew”), Middle High German geniuwen (“to renew”), Old Norse nýja (“to renew”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈnjuː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈnu/

  • Audio (GA)

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• Rhymes: -uː
• Hyphenation: re‧new

Verb

renew (third-person singular simple present renews, present participle renewing, simple past and past participle renewed)

1. (transitive) To make (something) new again; to restore to freshness or original condition.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     In such a night
     Medea gather’d the enchanted herbs
     That did renew old Æson.

2. (transitive) To replace (something which has broken etc.); to replenish (something which has been exhausted), to keep up a required supply of.
3. (theology) To make new spiritually; to regenerate.
   • 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt  (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Romans xij:[2]:

     And fassion not youre selves lyke vnto this worlde: But be ye chaunged in youre shape by the renuynge of youre wittes that ye maye fele what thynge that good yt acceptable and perfaycte will of god is.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, 2 Corinthians 4:16:

     For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

4. (now rare, intransitive) To become new, or as new; to revive.
   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: , 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:
     , II.2.6.ii:

     to such as are in fear they strike a great impression, renew many times, and recal such chimeras and terrible fictions into their minds.

   • 1997 July, “Seeking Christian interiority: An interview with Louis Dupre”, in Christian Century, volume 114, number 21, page 654:

     But Christianity was a new religious force in Augustine's day. Today, as you say, its power to integrate culture has all but disappeared. Does Christianity still have the capacity to renew?

   • 2010 September, Michael Allen, "St. Louis Preservation Fund", St. Louis magazine, ISSN 1090-5723, Vol.16, Is.9, p.74:

     Renewing neighborhoods dealing with vacant buildings badly need options other than demolition or dangerous vacant spaces.

5. (transitive) To begin again; to recommence.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     Then gan he all this storie to renew,
     And tell the course of his captivitie […]

   • 1660, John Dryden, translating Virgil, (apparently from Eclogue 4), a snippet of translation used to introduce Dryden's Astræa Redux: A poem on the happy restoration and return of His Sacred Majesty Charles II

     The last great age, foretold by sacred rhymes,
     Renews its finished course; Saturnian times
     Roll round again.

   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

     “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; […].
     Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

6. (rare) To repeat.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC:

     The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
     Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings.

7. (transitive, intransitive) To extend a period of loan, especially a library book that is due to be returned.

   I'd like to renew these three books.  Did you know that you can renew online?

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:repair

Derived terms

• renew acquaintances

Related terms

• renewal
• urban-renew

Translations

Noun

renew (plural renews)

1. Synonym of renewal

Derived terms

• urban renew

Anagrams

• newer, weren