err

[ur, er] /ɜr, ɛr/
verb (used without object)
1.
to go astray in thought or belief; be mistaken; be incorrect.
2.
to go astray morally; sin:
To err is human.
3.
Archaic. to deviate from the true course, aim, or purpose.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English erren < Old French errer < Latin errāre; akin to Gothic airzjan, Old High German irrôn, German irren
Related forms
errability, noun
errable, adjective
Can be confused
air, e'er, ere, err, heir.
er, err, ur-, Ur.
Synonyms
2. transgress, lapse.
Examples from the web for err
  • Custom computer cases tend to err toward the extreme -- extremes of weirdness, cleverness and neon.
  • To err is human, to persevere in error is the act of a fool.
  • But if we are to err, it is best that we err on the side of safety.
  • Some governments instruct public servants to err on the side of openness.
  • They are the ones who err in the other direction.
  • And we tried to err on the side of caution.
  • And, if you must make an error in judgment — at least, err on the side of the defenseless.
  • The umpire is all we have left in life who cannot err in a matter of judgment.
  • But even if all the techniques were foolproof, I would still want the polls to err.
  • Juries err every day, yet judges rarely disturb jury verdicts.
British Dictionary definitions for err

err

/ɜː/
verb (intransitive)
1.
to make a mistake; be incorrect
2.
to stray from the right course or accepted standards; sin
3.
to act with bias, esp favourable bias: to err on the side of justice
Word Origin
C14: erren to wander, stray, from Old French errer, from Latin errāre
Word Origin and History for err
v.

c.1300, from Old French errer "go astray, lose one's way; make a mistake; transgress," from Latin errare "wander, go astray, be in error," from PIE root *ers- "be in motion, wander around" (cf. Sanskrit arsati "flows;" Old English ierre "angry, straying;" Old Frisian ire "angry;" Old High German irri "angry," irron "astray;" Gothic airziþa "error, deception;" the Germanic words reflecting the notion of anger as a "straying" from normal composure). Related: Erred; erring.