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

The Creature is a reconstruction of Victor’s broken child that has to chase him down to forgive him — to make him look at him, face him and forgive him.

From Los Angeles Times

Would you be more forgiving if you learned Claudius wasn’t a human but an AI agent?

From The Wall Street Journal

Over the past eight days you would have been forgiven for thinking all English Ashes hopes were lost.

From BBC

Sometimes they disagree with me on politics but we’re kind of old friends, we came up together, and they forgive me.

From The Wall Street Journal

But, you'd be forgiven for having forgotten what Eleven and her bike-peddling pals were up to when we were last in their troubled neighbourhood.

From BBC

Related Words

• absolve
• condone
• excuse
• forget