rĕdemptĭo, ōnis, f. [redimo].
I A buying back , buying off; a releasing , ransoming , redemption : cum captivis redemptio negabatur, Liv. 25, 6: ducis (capti), Quint. 7, 1, 29: puellae, Val. Max. 4, 3, 1: sacramenti, i. e. the purchase of one’s military oath , i. e. of his discharge , Auct. B. Alex. 56, 4 (cf. id. ib. 55, 4: qui se pecuniā redemerunt).— Absol. : quia mercede pactā accesserat ad talem redemptionem, i. e. a releasing or release of the debtor from the demand , by paying the creditor , Dig. 17, 1, 6 fin. ; v. redemptor.—
II A buying up of a court of justice, bribing : judicii, Cic. Verr. 1, 6, 16. — Plur. and absol. : reorum pactiones, redemptiones, Cic. Pis. 36, 87.—
III A farming of the revenue, Cic. Prov. Cons. 5, 11.—
IV Esp. (eccl. Lat.), a release from sin or from its penalties , a rescuing from death , etc.: animae suae, Vulg. Psa. 48, 8; absol. , id. Eph. 1, 7.