King James Bible Dictionary

This Hebrew word means firm, and hence also faithful (Revelation 3:14). In Isaiah 65:16, the Authorized Version has "the God of truth," which in Hebrew is "the God of Amen." It is frequently used by our Saviour to give emphasis to his words, where it is translated "verily." Sometimes, only, however, in John's Gospel, it is repeated, "Verily, verily." It is used as an epithet of the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:14).

It is found singly and sometimes doubly at the end of prayers (Psalms 41:13; 72:19; 89:52), to confirm the words and invoke the fulfilment of them. It is used in token of being bound by an oath (Numbers 5:22; Deuteronomy 27:15-26; Nehemiah 5:13; 8:6; 1 Chronicles 16:36). In the primitive churches it was common for the general audience to say "Amen" at the close of the prayer (1 Corinthians 14:16).

The promises of God are Amen; i.e., they are all true and sure (2 Corinthians 1:20).

A word used to reinforce a statement
Numbers 5:22; Deuteronomy 27:12-26; Nehemiah 5:13; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 22:20

Used in prayer
1 Kings 1:36; 1 Chronicles 16:36; Nehemiah 8:6; Psalms 41:13; Psalms 72:19; Psalms 89:52; Psalms 106:48; Jeremiah 28:6; Matthew 6:13; 1 Corinthians 14:16; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 19:4

A title of Christ
Revelation 3:14

literally "true" and used as a substantive, "that which is true," "truth," (Isaiah 65:16) a word used in strong asseverations, fixing, as it were, the stamp of truth upon the assertion which it accompanied, and making it binding as an oath. Comp. (Numbers 5:22) In the synagogues and private houses it was customary for the people or members of the family who were present to say "amen" to the prayers which were offered. (Matthew 6:13; 1 Corinthians 14:16) And not only public prayers, but those offered in private, and doxologies, were appropriately concluded with "amen." (Romans 9:5; 11:36; 15:33; 16:27; 2 Corinthians 13:14) etc.

AMEN'. This word, with slight differences or orthography, is in all the dialects of the Assyrian stock. As a verb, it signifies to confirm, establish, verify; to trust, or give confidence; as a noun, truth, firmness, trust, confidence; as an adjective, firm, stable. In English, after the oriental manner, it is used at the beginning, but more generally at the end of declarations and prayers, in the sense of, be it firm, be it established.

And let all the people say amen Psalms 104:1.

The word is used also as a noun.

'All the promises of God are amen in Christ; ' that is, firmness, stability, constancy.

AME'NABLE, adjective

1. In old law, easy to be led; governable, as a woman by her husband. [This sense is obsolete.]

2. Liable to answer; responsible; answerable; liable to be called to account; as, every man is amenable to the laws.

We retain this idiom in the popular phrase, to bring in, to make answerable; as a man is brought in to pay the debt of another.

AM'ENAGE, verb transitive To manage. obsolete

AM'ENANCE, noun Conduct, behavior. obsolete

AMEND', verb transitive [Latin emendo, of e neg, and menda, mendum, a fault. See mend.]

1. To correct; to rectify by expunging a mistake; as, to amend a law.

2. To reform, by quitting bad habits; to make better in a moral sense; as, to amend our ways or our conduct.

3. To correct; to supply a defect; to improve or make better, by some addition of what is wanted, as well as by expunging what is wrong, as to amend a bill before a legislature. Hence it is applied to the correction of authors, by restoring passages which had been omitted, or restoring the true reading.

AMEND', verb intransitive To grow or become better, by reformation, or rectifying something wrong in manners or morals. It differs from improve, in this, that to amend implies something previously wrong; to improve, does not.

AMEND', A pecuniary punishment, or fine. The amende honorable, in France, is an infamous punishment inflicted on traitors, parricides and sacrilegious persons. The offender, being led into court with a rope about his neck, begs pardon of his God, the court, etc. These words denote also a recantation in open court, or in presence of the injured person.

AMEND'ABLE, adjective That may be amended; capable of correction; as, an amendable writ or error.

AMEND'ATORY, adjective That amends; supplying amendment; corrective.

AMEND'ED, participle passive Corrected; rectified; reformed; improved, or altered for the better.

AMEND'ER, noun The person that amends.

AMEND'ING, participle present tense Correcting; reforming; altering for the better.

AMEND'MENT, noun

1. An alteration or change for the better; correction of a fault or faults; reformation of life, by quitting vices.

2. A word, clause or paragraph, added or proposed to be added to a bill before a legislature.

3. In law, the correction of an error in a writ or process.

Shakespeare uses it for the recovery of health, but this sense is unusual.

AMENDS', noun plural

Compensation for an injury; recompense; satisfaction; equivalent; as, the happiness of a future life will more than make amends for the miseries of this.

AME'NITY, noun [Latin amanitas; amanus.] Pleasantness; agreeableness of situation; that which delights the eye; used of places and prospects.

AM'ENT, noun [Latin amentum, a thong, or strap.]

A botany, a species of inflorescence, from a common, chaffy receptacle; or consisting of many scales, ranged along a stalk or slender axis, which is the common receptacle; as in birch, oak, chestnut.

AMENTA'CEOUS, adjective Growing in an ament; resembling; a thong; as, the chestnut has an amentaceous inflorescence.