I. -jən(t)s noun
also in·dul·gen·cy -nsē, -nsi
( plural indulgences also indulgencies )
Etymology: indulgence in sense 1 from Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin indulgentia, from Latin, quality or state of being indulgent, kindness, complaisance, from indulgent-, indulgens indulgent + -ia -y; indulgence in sense 2a from Middle English, from Latin indulgentia; indulgence in other senses from Latin indulgentia; indulgency in sense 1 from Medieval Latin indulgentia; indulgency in other senses from L. indulgentia
1. : remission of the temporal punishment including canonical penances and especially purgatorial atonement that according to Roman Catholicism is due by divine justice for sins whose eternal punishment has been remitted and whose guilt has been pardoned by the reception of the sacrament of penance
2. : the act of indulging or the state of being indulgent: as
a. : a special often excessive leniency (as toward a sick child) : humoring
had learned to treat his moody child with indulgence
: any treatment marked by forbearance
a crotchety old man who expected more indulgence than he deserved
b. : fondness , liking
his indulgence for the government of England — H.J.Laski
c. : benign tolerance
mocking elegance that has little respect but much indulgence for the foibles of man — Claudia Cassidy
3.
a. : an indulgent act : a favor granted or an instance of forbearance
sorry she allowed the children all the indulgences she had in the past
b.
(1) sometimes capitalized : a grant or offer of certain religious liberties as special favors made by Charles II and James II to Protestant dissenters and Roman Catholics
(2) : the permission given during the same reigns to Scotch Presbyterian ministers to hold services
c. : an extension of time for payment or performance granted as a favor — compare moratorium
4. : the act of indulging in something or the thing indulged in
a commendable degree of indulgence in outdoor sports
excessive indulgence in daydreaming
acquired that habit of romantic reading which was to be a lifetime indulgence — H.S.Canby
his trips abroad were almost the only indulgences he had ever allowed himself
had to be content with the weekly indulgence of an ice-cream soda
: gratification of a kind usually forbidden or frowned on or to a degree usually considered excessive; especially : self-gratification , self-indulgence
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Roman Catholicism : to attach an indulgence to (as an act or an object's use)
indulgenced prayers