forgive
[fer-giv]
- to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.
- to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.).
- to grant pardon to (a person).
- to cease to feel resentment against: to forgive one's enemies.
- to cancel an indebtedness or liability of: to forgive the interest owed on a loan.
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- to pardon an offense or an offender.
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Origin of forgive
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
excusecondoneforgetabsolveeffacepurgeacquitamnestypalliatespringclearoverlookremitpocketrelentcommuterespiteexemptreleaseexculpateExamples from the Web for forgive
Contemporary Examples
When a popular Sunni televangelist does it, to forgive is divine.
I do not forgive those who saw the attacks and have refused to cooperate with law enforcement.
It turns out audiences will forgive such reports when your movies are good.
In the Church of Sorkin, this is the prayer of humility: forgive them, for they know not what they do.
‘Newsroom’ Premiere: Aaron Sorkin Puts CNN on Blast Over the Boston BombingKevin Fallon
November 10, 2014
The second half of Interstellar is basically one giant SPOILER ALERT, so forgive the nebulousness.
‘Interstellar’ Is Wildly Ambitious, Very Flawed, and Absolutely Worth SeeingMarlow Stern
November 7, 2014
Historical Examples
I forgive you, if you are sorry for the fault, and my arms are ready to receive you.
Dearest Madam, forgive me: it was always my pride and my pleasure to obey you.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
Some things seem the harder to forgive the greater the love.
Weighed and WantingGeorge MacDonald
"I forgive thee from my heart, dear brother," piped the blind man.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
Like a woman, he found it difficult to forgive one who had injured those he loved.
The Man ShakespeareFrank Harris
forgive
- to cease to blame or hold resentment against (someone or something)
- to grant pardon for (a mistake, wrongdoing, etc)
- (tr) to free or pardon (someone) from penalty
- (tr) to free from the obligation of (a debt, payment, etc)
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Word Origin
Old English forgiefan; see for-, give
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for forgive
v.
Old English forgiefan "give, grant, allow; forgive," also "to give up" and "to give in marriage;" from for- "completely" + giefan "give" (see give).
The modern sense of "to give up desire or power to punish" is from use of the compound as a Germanic loan-translation of Latin perdonare (cf. Old Saxon fargeban, Dutch vergeven, German vergeben, Gothic fragiban; see pardon). Related: Forgave; forgiven; forgiving.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper