1. stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake: "I don't think I'll ever forgive David for the way he treated her"Similarpardonexcuseexonerateabsolveacquitlet offgrant an amnesty toamnestymake allowances forstop feeling resentful towardfeel no resentment towardstop feeling malice towardfeel no malice towardharbor no grudge againstbury the hatchet withlet bygones be bygonesinformal:let someone off the hookgo easy onrare:exculpateOppositeblameconvictresent
▪ stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for (an offense, flaw, or mistake): "he was not a man who found it easy to forgive and forget"
▪ cancel (a debt): "he proposed that their debts should be forgiven"
▪ used in polite expressions as a request to excuse or regard indulgently one's foibles, ignorance, or impoliteness:"you will have to forgive my suspicious mind"Similarexcuseoverlookdisregardignorepass overmake allowances forallowcondonelet golet passsanctionturn a blind eye toturn a deaf ear towink atconnive atblink atindulgetoleraterare:extenuateOppositepunish
Word OriginOld Englishforgiefan, of Germanic origin, related to Dutch vergeven and German vergeben, and ultimately to for- and give.
