Definition of forgive Forgive

/fɚgɪˈv/ - [fergiv] - for•give

We found 11 definitions of forgive from 7 different sources.

What does forgive mean?

Verb forgives, forgiving, forgiven
forgive - stop blaming or grant forgiveness; "I forgave him his infidelity"; "She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday"
		concede, grant, yield be willing to concede; "I grant you this much"
		condone, excuse excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with; "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities"
		absolve, justify, free let off the hook; "I absolve you from this responsibility"
		shrive, absolve grant remission of a sin to; "The priest absolved him and told him to say ten Hail Mary's"
		remit diminish or abate; "The pain finally remitted"
		pardon grant a pardon to; "Ford pardoned Nixon"; "The Thanksgiving turkey was pardoned by the President"
		pardon, excuse grant a pardon to; "Ford pardoned Nixon"; "The Thanksgiving turkey was pardoned by the President"
forgive - absolve from payment; "I forgive you your debt"
		exempt, free, relieve grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to; "She exempted me from the exam"

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forgive (Verb)
To pardon, to waive any negative feeling or desire for punishment.
forgive (Verb)
To accord forgiveness.

forgive (v. t.)
To give wholly; to make over without reservation; to resign.
forgive (v. t.)
To give up resentment or claim to requital on account of (an offense or wrong); to remit the penalty of; to pardon; -- said in reference to the act forgiven.
forgive (v. t.)
To cease to feel resentment against, on account of wrong committed; to give up claim to requital from or retribution upon (an offender); to absolve; to pardon; -- said of the person offending.

forgive
for-giv′, v.t. to pardon: to overlook an offence or debt: (Spens.) to give up.—v.i. to be merciful or forgiving.—adj. Forgiv′able, capable of being forgiven.—n. Forgive′ness, pardon: remission: disposition to pardon.—adj. Forgiv′ing, ready to pardon: merciful: compassionate. [A.S. forgiefan—pfx. for-, away, giefan, to give; cf. Ger. ver-geben.]