pardon

[pahr-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.

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

/ ˈpɑːdən /

verb

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

   to pardon someone

   to pardon a fault

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?

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pardon¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pardon¹

C13: from Old French, from Medieval Latin perdōnum, from perdōnāre to forgive freely, from Latin per (intensive) + dōnāre to grant

Idioms and Phrases

see beg to differ; excuse me.

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

"There was also some pressure from the family's relatives to pardon them, and I eventually agreed," he said.

Read more on Barron's

On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by Maxwell, leaving a presidential pardon as the only remaining legal option to avoid serving out her sentence.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“I have a lot of people who’ve asked me for pardons,” he told reporters.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“I call him Puff Daddy, he’s asked me for a pardon,” he continued.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The court orders issued Monday declined to hear Maxwell's appeal, which means her 20-year sentence will remain in place barring a presidential pardon.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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