WordGarden.ioremit
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈiːmɪt/
US
- /riˈmɪt/
Meanings
Noun
an area of responsibility, authority, or activity assigned to someone
Verb
to send money as payment
to send a case or matter to another authority for decision or further action
to cancel or reduce a fine, debt, or punishment by official decision
Beyond the definition
Imagine your grandmother lives far away and wants to help with your college expenses. She might remit money to you, meaning she sends it, often through a bank or transfer service. But remit is not only about money. It can also mean to send a case or problem to another person or group to deal with. For example, a judge might remit a case to a lower court for further review. It can also mean to give someone a duty to handle, and as a noun, a person's or committee's remit is the area they are responsible for. At its heart, the word often carries the idea of sending something on or placing it in someone else's hands.
The word "remit" has several related meanings built around the idea of sending, handing over, or releasing. In one common modern use, it means to send money, often across borders. If you are working abroad and sending part of your earnings home to your family, you are remitting funds.
However, remit also has an important formal use in legal and organizational contexts: to send a task, question, or case to another person or body for decision or action. A higher court might remit a case back to a lower court for reconsideration, handing over the next stage of proceedings. In a similar way, an official may remit a matter to a committee, board, or agency. As a noun, a committee's remit is its assigned area of authority or responsibility.
Beyond sending and assigning, remit can also mean to cancel or reduce a debt, penalty, or punishment. A court may remit a fine, and in historical or religious language, people may speak of sins being remitted, meaning forgiven. In medicine, a disease may remit, meaning it becomes less severe for a time. Whether you are discussing money, legal procedure, official duties, or the lifting of a burden, remit usually points to one of these ideas: sending something on, putting it into someone else's care, or releasing someone from what is owed or suffered.
Examples
- 1
Role limits
That decision is outside my remit, so you'll need to speak to the manager.
- Patternoutside someone's remit
not part of that person's responsibility
- 2
Committee authority
The committee's remit was expanded to include online safety.
- 3
Project authority
Within her remit as project lead, she can approve small changes without asking the director.
- Patternwithin someone's remit
inside the limits of that person's role or authority
- 4
Invoice payment
Please remit the full amount within 30 days of receiving the invoice.
- Patternremit + amount
send money as a payment
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Legal procedure
The appeal court remitted the case to the lower court for a new hearing.
- Domainremit a case to a court
officially send it there for further action
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- purview
- jurisdiction
- terms of reference
Contrast
- outside one's authority
- overreach
Used with (collocations)
- within the remit
- outside the remit
- fall within someone's remit
- broaden the remit
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- remitverbnoun
Forms
- remittedpast tenseverbnoun
- remitting-ing formverbnoun
- remitsverbnoun