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Guarantee vs Indemnify - What's the difference?

guarantee | indemnify |

As verbs the difference between guarantee and indemnify

is that guarantee is to assure that something will get done right while indemnify is to secure against loss or damage; to insure or indemnify can be (obsolete|rare) to hurt, to harm.

As a noun guarantee

is anything that assures a certain outcome.

guarantee

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Anything that assures a certain outcome.
    • Can you give me a guarantee that he will be fit for the match?
  • A written declaration that a certain product will be fit for a purpose and work correctly.
    • The cooker comes with a 5-year guarantee .
  • A person who gives such a guarantee; a guarantor.
    • (South)
  • The person to whom a guarantee is made.

    • Verb

    (d)
  • To assure that something will get done right.
  • To assume responsibility for a debt.
  • To make something certain.
    • The long sunny days guarantee a good crop.

    Synonyms

    * assure * warrant

    Related terms

    * guaranty * guarantor

    indemnify

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (forming verbs'')''Oxford English Dictionary , 1st ed. "indemnify, v.1". Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1900.

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To secure against loss or damage; to insure.
  • * 1670 , , letter to Lord Arlington, in The Works of Sir William Temple , page 101:
    • The states must at last engage to the merchants here that they will indemnify them from all that shall fall out.
  • (senseid)(chiefly, legal) To compensate or reimburse someone for some expense or injury
  • * 1906 , Civil Code of the State of California [http://books.google.com/books?id=Vds3AAAAIAAJ], page 405:
    • The lender of a thing for use must indemnify the borrower for damage caused by defects or vices in it, which he knew at the time of lending, and concealed from the borrower.
    Derived terms
    * indemnifiable * indemnification * indemnifier
    Related terms
    * indemnity

    Etymology 2

    From , assimilated to (indemn) and

    Verb

  • (obsolete, rare) to hurt, to harm
  • *1583 , Thomas Stocker's translation of A tragicall historie of the troubles and ciuile warres of the lowe Countries , i. 63a
  • *:He... did not belieue]] that his [[Majesty, Maiestie by this occasion coulde any way be endemnified .
  • *1593 , Thomas Lodge, Life & Death of William Long Beard , E ij
  • *:What harme the Rhodians haue]] [[done, doone thee, that thou so much indemnifiest them?

    • References