Condign means deserved or appropriate, especially in reference to punishment.
Condign significa merecido o apropiado, especialmente en referencia a un castigo.
| Front | condign \kun-DYNE\ |
|---|---|
| Back | adjective Deserved, appropriate. [In his 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, lexicographer Samuel Johnson noted that "condign" was "always used of something deserved by crimes." Even today, it is most likely to be used to modify "punishment" or a related word, such as "redress," "justice," or "chastisement." And yet, "condign" (which traces to Latin "com-," meaning "thoroughly," and "dignus," meaning "worthy") once meant "worthy" or "of equal worth or dignity" in English. How did such a word get chained to "punishment"? It was apparently so condemned in the 1500s by the phraseology of the Tudor Acts of Parliament: "Former statutes ... for lacke of condigne punishment ... be littell feared or regarded."] "Anger is not a great human accomplishment, even when it is a condign response to events." - Leon Wieseltier; The First Palestinian-Israeli War; The New Republic (Washington, DC); Apr 15, 2002. "But the doolally behaviour continued and his [soldier's] superiors considered more condign punishment." - Sian Busby; Shell Shock and Awe; The Times (London, UK); Aug 21, 2004. |
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