pardon

American  

[pahr-dn] / ˈpɑr dn /

noun

1. kind indulgence, as in forgiveness of an offense or discourtesy or in tolerance of a distraction or inconvenience.

   I beg your pardon, but which way is Spruce Street?

2. Law.

   1. a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor.

   2. the document by which such remission is declared.

3. forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.

   Synonyms:

   remission , absolution

4. Obsolete.  a papal indulgence.

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verb (used with object)

1. to make courteous allowance for or to excuse.

   Pardon me, madam.

   Antonyms:

   blame , censure

2. to release (a person) from liability for an offense.

   Synonyms:

   clear , acquit

3. to remit the penalty of (an offense).

   The governor will not pardon your crime.

   Synonyms:

   overlook , condone , absolve , forgive

interjection

1. (used, with rising inflection, as an elliptical form of I beg your pardon, as when asking a speaker to repeat something not clearly heard or understood.)

pardon British  

/ ˈpɑːdən /

verb

1. to excuse or forgive (a person) for (an offence, mistake, etc)

   to pardon someone

   to pardon a fault

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noun

1. forgiveness; allowance

2. 1. release from punishment for an offence

   2. the warrant granting such release

3. a Roman Catholic indulgence

1. Also: pardon me.   I beg your pardon. 

   1. sorry; excuse me

   2. what did you say?

pardon Idioms  

1. see beg to differ; excuse me.

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Related Words

Pardon, amnesty, reprieve are nouns referring to the cancellation, or delay with the possibility of eventual cancellation, of a punishment or penalty assigned for the violation of a military regulation or a civil law; absolution from guilt is not implied, merely a remission of the penalty. A pardon is granted to an individual, often by the action of a government official such as a governor, president, or monarch, and releases the individual from any punishment due for the infraction of the law, as a death sentence, prison term, or fine: to be released from prison with a full pardon. An amnesty is a pardon granted to a group of persons for past offenses against a government; it often includes an assurance of no future prosecution: to grant amnesty to political prisoners; an amnesty period for delinquent taxpayers during which no penalties are assessed. A reprieve is a delay of impending punishment, especially a death sentence; it does not cancel or remit the punishment, it simply delays it, usually for a specific period of time or until a decision can be arrived at as to the possibility of pardon or reduction of sentence: a last-minute reprieve, allowing the filing of an appeal to the Supreme Court. See excuse.

Other Word Forms

• nonpardoning adjective
• pardonable adjective
• pardonableness noun
• pardonably adverb
• pardonless adjective
• unpardonable adjective
• unpardonably adverb
• unpardoned adjective
• unpardoning adjective

Etymology

Origin of pardon

First recorded in 1300–50; (noun) Middle English pardoun(e), from Old French, Middle French pardon, pardun, perdun ( French pardon ), from Medieval Latin perdōnum ; (verb) Middle English pardonen, perdonen, from Anglo-French, Old French pardoner, perduner ( French pardonner), from Medieval Latin perdōnāre “to give freely, overlook,” equivalent to Latin intensive prefix per- per- + dōnāre “to give,” donation

Example Sentences

So far in his second term, the president has pardoned or commuted the sentences of multiple people convicted of different types of fraud, including wire, securities, tax and healthcare fraud.

From BBC

Hundreds of Israelis protest outside President Herzog’s residence following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that he had submitted a pardon request.

From Barron's

Israel’s president has the authority to pardon offenders.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, Israel's High Court of Justice has previously ruled that the president could pardon an individual before they are convicted if it is in the public interest or if there are extreme personal circumstances.

From BBC

On the second day of his presidency, he pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the boss of a notorious online black market in which transactions were conducted in crypto.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absolution
• allowance
• amnesty
• clemency
• mercy
• remission
• reprieve