forgive

American  

[fer-giv] / fərˈgɪv /

verb (used with object)

forgave, forgiven, forgiving

1. to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.

2. to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.).

3. to grant pardon to (a person).

   Synonyms:

   acquit, absolve

4. to cease to feel resentment against.

   to forgive one's enemies.

5. to cancel an indebtedness or liability of.

   to forgive the interest owed on a loan.

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verb (used without object)

forgave, forgiven, forgiving

1. to pardon an offense or an offender.

forgive British  

/ fəˈɡɪv /

verb

1. to cease to blame or hold resentment against (someone or something)

2. to grant pardon for (a mistake, wrongdoing, etc)

3. (tr) to free or pardon (someone) from penalty

4. (tr) to free from the obligation of (a debt, payment, etc)

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Related Words

See excuse.

Other Word Forms

• forgivable adjective
• forgivably adverb
• forgiver noun
• half-forgiven adjective
• preforgive verb (used with object)
• unforgivable adjective
• unforgivableness noun
• unforgivably adverb
• unforgiven adjective

Etymology

Origin of forgive

First recorded before 900; for- + give; replacing Middle English foryiven, Old English forgiefan

Example Sentences

“This show is the kind of embarrassment that audiences do not quickly forget or forgive.”

From The Wall Street Journal

You might be forgiven for mistaking this as a nightclub but the 50 people - mostly women - are here for an hour of cardio and strengthening.

From BBC

But, as it turns out, some messes are too big to leverage even for forgiving eyeballs of reality fans.

From Los Angeles Times

So forgive us for pointing out the character of the actual enemy our troops are fighting.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It’s juicy, it’s delicious, it has a really great texture, it’s just logistically a little more forgiving.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absolve
• condone
• excuse
• forget