Link Centre Dictionary

err

UK/ɜː/ US/ɛɚ/ fairly common formal

verb

1.

to make a mistake or be incorrect

Synonyms
2.

wander from a direct course or at random

  • “The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her”
  • “don”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English erren, from Old French errer (“to wander, err, mistake”), from Latin errō (“wander, stray, err, mistake”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ers- (“to be angry, lose one's temper”). Cognate with Old English eorre, ierre (“anger, wrath, ire”), Old English iersian (“to be angry with, rage, irritate, provoke”), Old English ierre (“wandering, gone astray, confused”).

Phrases

  • err on the side of
  • err on the side of caution
  • to err is human

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

Related verbs

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.