rebate

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/ˈriːbeɪt/
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A return or deduction of money, a British woodworking groove and the act of cutting one, plus older uses for weakening force or sharpness.
Practice using rebate in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • She marked the line where the board should be rebated.
  • Age had rebated the sharpness of the old blade.
  • The joiner will rebate the edge before fitting the panel.
  • The door stile was rebated to receive the weather strip.
  • The shelf uses a rebate joint at each end.

Similar words

return
allowance
notch
soften
recess
groove
discount
reimburse
lessen
groove

Meanings

Refund or deduction

noun
business
neutral
Money returned or deducted from an amount owed, often after a purchase, tax payment, bill, or insurance premium.

Usage

Use rebate when part of a price or payment comes back to the payer or is taken off the amount owed.

Examples

  • The utility company offered a rebate for installing a heat pump.
  • A $200 rebate arrived six weeks after the purchase.
  • The invoice shows a small rebate for early payment.
  • Several insurers paid premium rebates after the audit.
  • The store advertised the tablet at $399 after rebate.

Common mistakes

Rebate is treated as the money returned, not as the thing bought.
IncorrectCorrect
The rebate was expensive. The product was expensive, but the rebate was generous.
I bought a rebate yesterday. I claimed a rebate yesterday.
The shop gave me discount after rebate. The shop gave me a rebate after purchase.

Similar words

refund
discount
deduction
credit
allowance
cashback

Pay back or deduct

verb
business
neutral
To return part of a payment or subtract part of a charge, usually because a rule, promotion, or overpayment allows it.

Usage

Use rebate as a verb for the action of paying back or deducting part of a charge.

Examples

  • The council will rebate part of the tax to eligible residents.
  • Manufacturers sometimes rebate installation costs to buyers.
  • The insurer rebated the unused premium after cancellation.
  • The supplier agreed to rebate five percent of the invoice.
  • Any overpayment must be rebated before the account is closed.

Common mistakes

The past form needs -ed, and the direct object is usually money or a charge.
IncorrectCorrect
The company rebate the fee yesterday. The company rebated the fee yesterday.
They rebated customers with coupons. They rebated part of the price to customers.
The store rebated the laptop. The store rebated $50 on the laptop.

Similar words

refund
reimburse
deduct
credit
return
discount

Groove along an edge

noun
woodworking
technical
A groove cut along the edge of wood or another material so a panel, pane, or matching piece can fit into it.

Usage

Use rebate for this British and technical woodworking sense, where American English usually uses rabbet.

Examples

  • The carpenter cut a rebate along the back of the frame.
  • The glass sits neatly inside the window rebate.
  • A deep rebate helps the panel lie flush with the door.
  • The shelf uses a rebate joint at each end.
  • Check the width of the rebate before ordering the pane.

Common mistakes

Rebate in joinery names the groove, not the whole frame or joint.
IncorrectCorrect
The door is a rebate. The door has a rebate along its edge.
Cut the rebate in the middle of the board. Cut the rebate along the edge of the board.
The rebate closed the window. The glass sat in the window rebate.

Similar words

rabbet
groove
recess
channel
notch
housing

Cut an edge groove

verb
woodworking
technical
To cut a groove along an edge so a panel, pane, seal, or joint can sit neatly in the material.

Usage

Use rebate for the cutting operation in British technical woodworking, especially with frames, panels, and glazing.

Examples

  • The joiner will rebate the edge before fitting the panel.
  • They rebated the frame so the glass would sit securely.
  • Use a router to rebate the underside of the shelf.
  • The door stile was rebated to receive the weather strip.
  • She marked the line where the board should be rebated.

Common mistakes

The verb names cutting the groove, not simply attaching the piece.
IncorrectCorrect
Rebate the glass into the frame. Rebate the frame for the glass.
The joiner rebated the nail. The joiner rebated the edge of the board.
They rebate the frame yesterday. They rebated the frame yesterday.

Similar words

rabbet
groove
recess
channel
notch
cut

Lessen or blunt

verb
general
archaic
To make force, sharpness, or intensity weaker, now found mostly in older or literary writing.

Usage

Use rebate in this sense only when an archaic or literary tone is intended.

Examples

  • The treaty was meant to rebate the power of the nobles.
  • Age had rebated the sharpness of the old blade.
  • Nothing could rebate his anger that evening.
  • The long delay rebated the force of the complaint.
  • A leather cover rebated the point of the practice sword.

Common mistakes

Modern writing usually needs reduce, lessen, or blunt instead.
IncorrectCorrect
The sale rebated the price. The sale reduced the price.
Please rebate the music volume. Please lower the music volume.
The knife rebated the bread. The cover rebated the knife edge.

Similar words

lessen
diminish
reduce
blunt
soften
weaken

Usage

Treat the money sense as current everyday business English, the woodworking sense as British technical English, and the weakening sense as archaic.

Common mistakes

Rebate is often confused with an instant discount, but a rebate commonly comes back after payment or is recorded as a deduction.

Etymology

From Middle English and Anglo-French forms of rabattre or rebatre, meaning to beat back, put down, or deduct, from re- and abatre.

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