Definition

1. Verb:
   • To compensate someone for harm or loss: To provide payment or reparation to someone for damage, injury, or financial loss they have suffered.
   • To secure or protect against potential future loss or damage: To provide security or insurance against a possible future risk or liability.

Examples of Usage

• Verb (Compensate):
  • The company agreed to indemnify its customers for any damages caused by the defective product.
  • The treaty required the defeated nation to indemnify the victors for the costs of the war.
• Verb (Secure/Protect):
  • The contract indemnifies the landlord against any legal claims from tenants.
  • This insurance policy will indemnify you in case of theft.

Advanced Usage

• Legal and Contractual Context: "Indemnify" is frequently used in legal, insurance, and business contracts to establish liability and protection.
  • The clause indemnifies all parties from liability arising from third-party actions.
• Formal/Financial Context: Often used in formal contexts involving financial restitution or guarantees.
  • The fund was created to indemnify victims of the fraud scheme.

Variants and Related Words

• Indemnity (n): Security or protection against a loss or other financial burden; a sum of money paid as compensation.
  • He received an indemnity for the damaged property.
• Indemnification (n): The action of compensating for loss or damage; the state of being protected from loss or penalty.
  • They sought indemnification for their business losses.

Synonyms

• Compensate: To give someone money or something else of value to make up for a loss.
• Reimburse: To pay back money to someone who has spent it or lost it.
• Secure: To protect or make safe against potential harm.
• Protect: To keep safe from harm, loss, or damage.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

(Note: "Indemnify" is a formal verb and is not typically used in phrasal verb constructions. Its usage is direct, often followed by prepositions like "for," "against," or "from.") - Indemnify someone for something: To compensate someone for a specific loss. - They indemnified him for the medical expenses. - Indemnify someone against/from something: To protect someone from a specific risk or liability. - The agreement indemnifies the company from future lawsuits.

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms centered solely on the word "indemnify." Its usage is primarily technical and formal.)

Verb

1. make amends for; pay compensation for
   • One can never fully repair the suffering and losses of the Jews in the Third Reich
   • She was compensated for the loss of her arm in the accident
2. secure against future loss, damage, or liability; give security for
   • This plan indemnifies workers against wages lost through illness