For*give" (?), v. t.
[imp. Forgave (?); p. p.
Forgiven (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Forgiving] [OE. forgiven, foryiven,
foryeven, AS. forgiefan, forgifan; perh. for-
+ giefan, gifan to give; cf. D. vergeven,
G. vergeben, Icel. fyrirgefa, Sw. f?rgifva,
Goth. fragiban to give, grant. See For-, and
Give, v. t.] 1. To give
wholly; to make over without reservation; to resign.
To them that list the world's gay shows I leave,
And to great ones such folly do forgive.
Spenser.
2. 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.
And their sins should be forgiven
them.
Mark iv. 12.
He forgive injures so readily that he might be
said to invite them.
Macaulay.
3. 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.
Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they do.
Luke xxiii. 34.
I as free forgive you, as I would be
fforgiven.
Shak.
☞ Sometimes both the person and the offense follow as objects
of the verb, sometimes one and sometimes the other being the indirect
object. "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our
debtors." Matt. vi. 12. "Be of good cheer; thy sins be
forgiven thee." Matt. ix. 2.
Syn. -- See excuse.