commutation

CEFRC2

/kɒmjuːˈteɪʃən/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
noun
The act of changing one thing for another, especially a punishment.
02
noun
Extra detail
Specifically, the substitution of one kind of payment for another, especially a switch to monetary payment from obligations of labour.

Examples

I had my purse and commutation ticket stolen while I was sleeping on the train.
I was foolish enough to leave my commutation ticket at home.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 1
Citations: 5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

The change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
Substitution of one thing for another; interchange.
Substitution, as a means of discriminating between phonemes.

More examples

In context

Monsieur the Marquis de Sade [was] now holed up in one of his châteaux while his wife worked for the commutation of a sentence passed on him recently for poisoning and buggery.
Professor Postan has argued in favour of a rapid move towards commutation in the twelfth century which slackened or even went into reverse in the course of the thirteenth.
When Mary worked as an adjunct, she deliberately never calculated how much commutation and the babysitter were costing because she suspected that she was probably losing money on the deal.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The governor granted a blank that reduced the prisoner's life sentence.

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Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

Professor Postan has argued in favour of a rapid move towards commutation in the twelfth century which slackened or even went into reverse in the course of the thirteenth.
1969, Philip Ziegler, The Black Death, Folio Society, published 2006, page 213
Monsieur the Marquis de Sade [was] now holed up in one of his châteaux while his wife worked for the commutation of a sentence passed on him recently for poisoning and buggery.
1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial, published 2007, page 23
but there was no city officer to stand forth and ask for it — not even so much as to require frequent trains, low fares, and commutations on that part of the road which ran within the city limits.
1879, WR Martin, “Cities as Units in Our Polity”, in The North American Review
These permit the limited number willing to abandon their automobiles for long hikes to visit some of the most rugged terrain in Southern California. Major resort centers with substantial year-around residence (and much commutation) occur in the western Santa Monica Mountains, the San Bernardino Mountains, and around Idyllwild in the San Jacinto.
1981, David W. Lantis, Rodney Steiner, Arthur E. Karinen, California, land of contrast, page 166
After decades of complaint that cities are exploited by suburban commuters, the American metropolis is experiencing more and more commutation in the other direction. In some metropolitan areas, there is as much commutation out of the city as into it.
1999, BW Hawkins, DM Ihrke, “Research Note: Reexamining the Suburban Exploitation Thesis in American Metropolitan Areas”, in Publius: The Journal of Federalism

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Origin

noun

From French commutation, from Latin commūtātiōnem, accusative singular of commūtātiō.

Deep Dive

noun

More examples

Quick test

The governor granted a blank— that reduced the prisoner's life sentence.

Nearby

Origin

noun

The governor granted a blank that reduced the prisoner's life sentence.