(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
You say ‘Pardon?’ or ‘I beg your ~?’ or, in American English, ‘Pardon me?’ when you want someone to repeat what they have just said because you have not heard or understood it. (SPOKEN)
‘Will you let me open it?’—‘Pardon?’—‘Can I open it?’...
CONVENTION formulae
2.
People say ‘I beg your ~?’ when they are surprised or offended by something that someone has just said. (SPOKEN)
‘Would you get undressed, please?’—‘I beg your ~?’—‘Will you get undressed?’
CONVENTION feelings
3.
You say ‘I beg your ~’ or ‘I do beg your ~’ as a way of apologizing for accidentally doing something wrong, such as disturbing someone or making a mistake. (SPOKEN)
I was impolite and I do beg your ~...
CONVENTION formulae
4.
Some people say ‘Pardon me’ instead of ‘Excuse me’ when they want to politely get someone’s attention or interrupt them. (mainly BRIT SPOKEN; in AM, use excuse me )
Pardon me, are you finished, madam?
CONVENTION formulae
5.
You can say things like ‘Pardon me for asking’ or ‘Pardon my frankness’ as a way of showing you understand that what you are going to say may sound rude. (SPOKEN)
That, if you’ll ~ my saying so, is neither here nor there.
CONVENTION politeness
6.
Some people say things like ‘If you’ll ~ the expression’ or ‘Pardon my French’ just before or after saying something which they think might offend people. (SPOKEN)
It’s enough to make you wet yourself, if you’ll ~ the expression.
CONVENTION formulae
7.
If someone who has been found guilty of a crime is ~ed, they are officially allowed to go free and are not punished.
Hundreds of political prisoners were ~ed and released.
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed
•
Pardon is also a noun.
He was granted a presidential ~.
N-COUNT