Also means
to pay off (a debt)
Usage Note
Amortir covers two main domains: physically absorbing a shock (a car's amortisseurs are its shock absorbers), and financially, spreading the cost of an asset over time ('amortising' a loan). The noun amortissement covers both senses. In everyday speech, learners will most often hear it in the context of writing off costs.
Examples
"Les semelles amortissent les chocs à la course."
Natural Translation
The soles cushion the impacts when running.
Related Words
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