Redound

verb

To make an impression or impact (positive or negative) on something
To have a karmic result; to have an action's effects return to reward or punish

Usage

We all can attest that our decisions sometimes come back to haunt us. Choosing not to study for an "easy" exam might sound like a good idea at the time, but not when you receive a surprisingly poor grade. Even something positive, like eating a particularly hearty breakfast, may redound negatively on your running performance in the morning. However, on occasion, our actions do come back to help us - for instance, making sure to dress up for an interview can redound to our professional first impression and give us that extra boost of confidence. To be sure, reading this entry will definitely serve to redound to your already awesome vocabulary skills!

Redound is used when you want to say that one thing impacts or influences another, for good or for bad. Generally saved for positive associations, redound often means to be conducive or instrumental in accomplishing a certain effect or desired result. A new CEO's gentle and personable nature could very well redound to his employees' acceptance of him as their leader. The more modern usage of redound especially reflects adding a component or reinforcement to one's credit or honor. For example, a police officer's composure during a life-threatening encounter will likely redound to his reputation as an expert in his field. Of course, the word redound has another side: it can also be used to denote the negative relationship between two things. A friend's advice to overextend your finances could easily redound to a low credit score, hindering your ability to receive your next loan. If you wanted success in the money department, paying back your loans will likely redound to a better financial standing!

The word redound can also signify a rebounding of an action or effect. Not to be confused with a direct relationship of a linear cause and effect (as in the previous paragraph), this usage covers the scenarios in which an action or decision literally "comes back" to profit or hamper a person or thing. Often, recognition redounds to the ones who consistently work hard or perform thankless labor. Things might also redound when good (or bad) decisions accumulate or accrue "interest" in your life to produce a noticeable effect. A great example of this is investing money in profitable stocks; increased income, or wealth, redounds from good stewardship. When the case of returning is negative, redound is usually followed the preposition on, or upon (although the latter is bit more obsolete). The treacherous actions of a father could sadly redound on his son in a small town. If you don't mind sounding a bit Shakespearean, you could even say something similar to "Indeed, this knave's foolish deeds will redound upon his life!" Who would have thought that with the addition of one little preposition redound could become so burdensome?

Example: His excellent studying will redound to his math scores.

Example: The football team's service projects continually redound to its credit.

Origin

The word redound comes from the Latin redundare, meaning "to overflow" or "to flow back into." Similar to its cousin redundant, redound implies that something has usually been in excess and is now doubling back onto itself. For example, a man's good deeds might be so noteworthy that they "spill" over and redound to his honor. We can see redound being used in this way as a synonym for "to influence" or "to promote" someone or something as early as the 15th century. Though, being redundant isn't good endorsement; being redundant might redound to your reputation of being vague or inarticulate!

Derivative Words

Redounds: This verb is the third person present form of redound. It is used when a person or thing (he, she, it) effects or reflects on something else.

Example: The nearness of winter redounds to the purchasing of fuzzy socks.

Redounded: This verb is used when someone or something has already affected or recoiled another person or thing.

Example: His newest puppy redounded to Edgar's popularity with the ladies.

Redounding: This verb can be used when someone or something is in the process of or continually impacting or rebounding on another.

Example: The senator's misuse of a racially charged term is redounding on his polls.

Similar Words

Redound vs. Rebound:

The words redound and rebound look and sound incredibly similar, and their meanings seem to overlap a bit. Although one usage of redound has to do with actions returning to, rebounding on someone, the words are not exactly interchangeable. To rebound means to bounce or spring back like a rubber ball ricocheting from hitting a wall. Rebound can also be used as a noun to refer to the object that is bouncing back; for example, basketball players often try to catch each other's rebounds. Whereas, redound can refer to impact or effect not related to bouncing back.

In Literature

From William Harrison's A Description of Elizabethan England:

Such strangers also as dwelled here with us, perceiving our sluggishness, and espying that this idleness of ours might redound to their great profit, forthwith employed their endeavors to bring in the supply of such things as we lacked continually from foreign countries, which yet more augmented our idleness.

Harrison describes a time in England where many people began to trade for goods instead of making them themselves. As others began to settle in England, he saw that they had seemed to delight in the apparent laziness of the citizens, hoping that their lack of effort might advance, or redound, their own profits as the law of supply and demand predicted.

Mnemonic

Microphones redound to your sound.
Redound: what comes around goes around.