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Webster 1913 Edition

Expiate

Ex′pi-ate

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Expiated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Expiating
.]
[L.
expiatus
, p. p. of
expiare
to expiate;
ex
out +
piare
to seek to appease, to purify with sacred rites, fr.
pius
pious. See
Pious
.]
1.
To extinguish the guilt of by sufferance of penalty or some equivalent; to make complete satisfaction for; to atone for; to make amends for; to make expiation for;
as, to
expiate
a crime, a guilt, or sin
.
To
expiate
his treason, hath naught left.
Milton.
The Treasurer obliged himself to
expiate
the injury.
Clarendon.
2.
To purify with sacred rites.
[Obs.]
Neither let there be found among you any one that shall
expiate
his son or daughter, making them to pass through the fire.
Deut. xviii. 10 (Douay version)

Ex′pi-ate

,
Adj.
[L.
expiatus
,p. p]
Terminated.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition

Expiate

EX'PIATE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. expio; ex and pio, to worship, to atone; pius, pious, mild. The primary sense is probably to appease, to pacify, to allay resentment, which is the usual sense of atone in most languages which I have examined. Pio is probably contracted from pico, and from the root of paco, the radical sense of which is to lay, set or fix; the primary sense of peach,
pax.
Hence the sense of mild in pius. But this opinion is offered only as probable.
1.
To atone for; to make satisfaction for; to extinguish the guilt of a crime by subsequent acts of piety or worship, by which the obligation to punish the crime is canceled. To expiate guilt or a crime, is to perform some act which is supposed to purify the person guilty; or some act which is accepted by the offended party as satisfaction for the injury; that is, some act by which his wrath is appeased,and his forgiveness procured.
2.
To make reparation for; as, to expiate an injury.
3.
To avert the threats of prodigies.

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