erred
C1Formal, literary
Definition
Meaning
Made a mistake or acted incorrectly.
To have deviated from what is morally right, accurate, or appropriate; to have gone astray.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The past tense and past participle of 'err'. It often implies a moral, judgmental, or significant mistake rather than a trivial error. It carries a slightly archaic or elevated tone.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both use it in formal/literary contexts.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British legal, religious, and formal journalistic contexts, but the difference is minimal.
Frequency
Low frequency in both varieties, with a slight edge in British formal writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] erred[Subject] erred in [gerund/noun phrase] (e.g., erred in judgement)[Subject] erred by [gerund/participle]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “erred on the side of caution”
- “to err is human (to forgive divine)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Used in formal reports about strategic missteps: 'The board erred in its market assessment.'
Academic
Used in philosophical, historical, or legal discourse: 'The researcher erred in her initial hypothesis.'
Everyday
Very rare in casual speech. Might be used humorously or self-deprecatingly: 'I seem to have erred in my calculations.'
Technical
Used in legal contexts regarding judicial mistakes: 'The lower court erred in its application of the statute.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The referee erred in awarding that penalty.
- She admitted she had erred in her judgement of his character.
American English
- The judge erred in allowing that evidence.
- If we erred, we erred on the side of protecting citizens.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher said I erred in the last question.
- He erred by forgetting his passport.
- The government has clearly erred in its handling of the crisis.
- I fear I may have erred in trusting him with such a sensitive task.
- The commission found that the ombudsman had not erred in her interpretation of the regulations.
- Historians argue that the general erred gravely by dividing his forces before the decisive battle.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ERRed' sounds like 'AIR-ed' a mistake. You aired out your error for all to see.
Conceptual Metaphor
MISTAKES ARE DEVIATIONS FROM A PATH (strayed, went astray).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'ошибся' in casual contexts; 'erred' is too formal. Use 'made a mistake' or 'was wrong'.
- Do not confuse with 'aired' (past tense of 'to air').
Common Mistakes
- Using it in informal conversation sounds stilted.
- Misspelling as 'erred' (double r) is common.
- Incorrect: 'He erred to go there.' Correct: 'He erred in going there.' or 'He erred by going there.'
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'erred' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is quite formal and literary. In everyday speech, people say 'made a mistake', 'was wrong', or 'messed up'.
'Erred on the side of caution' is a very common fixed phrase, meaning to choose a cautious course of action to avoid risk.
Yes, simply as 'He erred.' However, it is more common to see it with a phrase like 'erred in his judgment' or 'erred by doing something'.
The related noun is 'error'. 'Erred' is the past tense of the verb 'to err'.
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