commend

Borrowed from Latin commendare (“commend, entrust to, commit, recommend”), from com- + mandare (“to commit, intrust, enjoin”), from manus (“hand”) + dare (“to put”). Doublet of command.

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• Rhymes: -ɛnd

commend (third-person singular simple present commends, present participle commending, simple past and past participle commended)

1. (transitive) To congratulate or reward.

   The schoolboy was commended for raising the alarm about the burning building.

2. (transitive) To praise or acclaim.
   • Dryden

     Historians commend Alexander for weeping when he read the actions of Achilles.

3. (transitive) To entrust or commit to the care of someone else.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Luke 23:46:

     Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

4. (transitive) To mention by way of courtesy, implying remembrance and goodwill.
   • Shakespeare

     Commend me to my brother.

5. (transitive) To recommend.
   • Sir M. Hale

     Among the objects of knowledge, two especially commend themselves to our contemplation.

   • Bible, Romans xvi. 1

     I commend unto you Phoebe our sister.

6. (transitive, dated) To adorn; to set off.

• commendable
• commendation
• commendatory
• recommend

• suggest
• consider
• approval

commend (plural commends)

1. (obsolete) commendation; praise
   • Shakespeare

     Speak in his just commend.

2. (obsolete, in the plural) compliments; greetings
   • Howell

     Hearty commends and much endeared love to you.

• commend in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• commend in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• commend at OneLook Dictionary Search