Redo

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɹiˈduː/

Definitions

1. To perform a task or action again, typically to improve or correct it
2. To repeat an activity or process because the first attempt was unsatisfactory
3. To carry out something once more in order to achieve a better result or fix mistakes

Etymology: "Redo" is a plain formation: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back", attached to "do". The prefix comes from Latin "re-", and English took it in through Old French "re-", which carried the same sense of repetition or return. "Do" is the older and far more ancient part. It descends from Old English "dōn", which goes back through Germanic to a root shared with many Indo-European languages. Put together, "redo" simply means to do something over again. English speakers have been building words this way for centuries, which is why the combination feels so transparent: the meaning is written into its parts. The word's history here is one of ordinary building blocks rather than any dramatic twist, so the clearest picture is that of a familiar verb with a familiar prefix placed in front of it.

Synonyms: repeat, rework, revise

Antonyms: finish, complete, conclude