re-
riː
One bent arrow behind resend, refund and renew
The picture Something that already moved forward curves back to where it started and sets off again. re- goes back to the start and runs again; un- unties what was done and leaves it undone.
Where the picture shows up in re-
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sending it a second time
Can you resend the invoice?
kæn juː riːˈsend ði ˈɪnvɔɪs
Could you send the invoice again?
The letter that already left comes back to your hand and goes out the same road.
re (again) + send.
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turning it back to the sender
Please reply by Friday.
pliːz rɪˈplaɪ baɪ ˈfraɪdeɪ
Send me an answer before Friday.
The words you received travel back up the exact road they came in on.
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money walking back
We can refund the full amount.
wiː kæn ˈriːfʌnd ðə fʊl əˈmaʊnt
You can have all your money back.
The cash that crossed the counter slides back into the customer's palm.
re (back) + fund (money).
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back to a blank first line
I had to rewrite the whole report.
aɪ hæd tuː riːˈraɪt ðə hoʊl rɪˈpɔːrt
I had to write the report from the beginning.
The finished page is pushed aside and the pen starts on line one of an empty sheet.
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an old date made new again
I need to renew my visa next month.
aɪ niːd tuː rɪˈnuː maɪ ˈviːzə nekst mʌnθ
My visa runs out next month, so I have to do it again.
Beside the expired stamp a fresh stamp lands and the date jumps back to the start.
re (again) + new.
All of it in one picture
re- is one arrow that curves back. Send a thing back to the start and push it out again and you resend; let words travel back up the road they came from and you reply; let money walk back into the customer's hand and you refund. Clear the page and put your pen on the first line again and you rewrite; drag an expired date back to the beginning and you renew. So with any new re- word, don't memorise a meaning — ask what is going back to the start.