redemption
redemption — noun
1. a fixed expression used to say that a person, situation, or thing is so bad that
a fixed expression used to say that a person, situation, or thing is so bad that no one can make it better or save it
Years of illegal dumping left the lake beyond redemption, and nothing could bring it back.
beyond redemption — fixed phrase for irretrievable badness
The landlord called the abandoned house past redemption and sold it for the land alone.
Some voters felt the politician was beyond redemption after breaking so many promises.
Noor knew the old greenhouse was beyond redemption when the roof caved in completely.
- hopeless
less emphatic and can apply to both situations and people; does not require a fixed phrase structure
- irreparable
more formal, used chiefly for damage, harm, or loss rather than people's moral state
- salvageable
informal; opposite of 'beyond redemption' in practical contexts
文法句型
only in beyond/past redemption
用法筆記
This sense only appears in the two fixed phrases beyond redemption and past redemption. You cannot drop the preposition and say something is 'redemption' to mean irreparable. For physical objects, use beyond repair instead.
常見錯誤
2. the Christian concept of being rescued from sin and restored to spiritual goodne
the Christian concept of being rescued from sin and restored to spiritual goodness through divine power; also used more broadly for any process where a person recovers morally after serious wrongdoing
In Christian teachings, redemption offers believers spiritual freedom from the weight of past sins.
redemption from [sin] — spiritual context
The novel follows a former gang member who finds redemption through helping at-risk teenagers.
Roya described redemption as a second chance to rebuild a life with honesty and kindness.
The villain in the film finds redemption by sacrificing his freedom to save the children.
- salvation
broader term covering rescue from sin OR danger; redemption specifically carries the notion of a price paid or effort made to regain goodness
- deliverance
focuses on being rescued from a specific threat; less about moral transformation than about escape
- atonement
emphasises making amends for wrongdoing through sacrifice or reparation, rather than being saved by an outside force
- damnation
opposite in religious contexts; eternal punishment rather than salvation
文法句型
redemption + from [sin/suffering]
find/seek/achieve redemption
用法筆記
Frequently used in both religious writing and secular storytelling (e.g. redemption arc in film criticism). In secular contexts it usually implies a major transformation after serious wrongdoing, not minor improvements.
常見錯誤
3. the process of converting certain financial securities into their cash value, or
the process of converting certain financial securities into their cash value, or settling a borrowing when payment falls due
The company announced the early redemption of its corporate bonds to reduce interest payments.
early redemption — repayment before maturity date
Investors must complete the paperwork before the redemption deadline at the end of March.
Ramón checked the fund's redemption policy before deciding how many shares to sell back.
The fund allows partial redemption of shares without charging any penalty fee.
- issuance
the sale of new securities to investors
文法句型
redemption + of [bond/share/debt]
call/early redemption
用法筆記
Common in financial reports, investment contracts, and banking. The opposite process is issuance (when securities are first sold to investors). A redemption fee is a charge the investor pays when cashing out early.