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reward

Syllabification: (re·ward)
Pronunciation: /riˈwôrd/

Translate reward | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of reward

noun

  • a thing given in recognition of one’s service, effort, or achievement:the holiday was a reward for 40 years' service with the company he’s reaping the rewards of his hard work and perseverance figurativethe emotional rewards of being a parent
  • a fair return for good or bad behavior:a slap on the face was his reward for his impudence
  • a sum offered for the detection of a criminal, the restoration of lost property, or the giving of information.

verb

[with object]
  • make a gift of something to (someone) in recognition of their services, efforts, or achievements:the engineer who supervised the work was rewarded with a bonus
  • show one’s appreciation of (an action or quality) by making a gift:an effective organization recognizes and rewards creativity and initiative
  • (be rewarded) receive what one deserves:their hard work was rewarded by the winning of a five-year contract

Phrases

go to one's (final) reward

used euphemistically to indicate that someone has died.

Derivatives

rewardless

adjective

Origin:

Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, variant of Old French reguard 'regard, heed', also an early sense of the English word

reward in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of reward in the British & World English dictionary