— pardonable , adj. — pardonableness , n. — pardonably , adv. — pardonless , adj.
/pahr"dn/ , n.
1. kind indulgence, as in forgiveness of an offense or discourtesy or in tolerance of a distraction or inconvenience: I beg your pardon, but which way is Spruce Street?
2. Law.
a. a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor.
b. the document by which such remission is declared.
3. forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.
4. Obs. a papal indulgence.
v.t.
5. to make courteous allowance for or to excuse: Pardon me, madam.
6. to release (a person) from liability for an offense.
7. to remit the penalty of (an offense): The governor will not pardon your crime.
interj.
8. (used, with rising inflection, as an elliptical form of I beg your pardon, as when asking a speaker to repeat something not clearly heard or understood.)
[ 1250-1300; ME (n. and v.) pardon (n.) remission, indulgence, n. deriv. of pardoner (v.) perdonare to remit, overlook, lit., to forgive, equiv. to L per- FOR- (see PER-) + donare to give; see DONATE; ML v. perh. a trans. from Gmc ]
Syn. 3. absolution, remission. PARDON, AMNESTY, REPRIEVE are nouns referring to the cancellation, or delay with the possibility of eventual cancellation, of a punishment or penalty assigned for the violation of a military regulation or a civil law; absolution from guilt is not implied, merely a remission of the penalty. A PARDON is granted to an individual, often by the action of a government official such as a governor, president, or monarch, and releases the individual from any punishment due for the infraction of the law, as a death sentence, prison term, or fine: to be released from prison with a full pardon.
An AMNESTY is a pardon granted to a group of persons for past offenses against a government; it often includes an assurance of no future prosecution: to grant amnesty to political prisoners; an amnesty period for delinquent taxpayers during which no penalties are assessed. A REPRIEVE is a delay of impending punishment, especially a death sentence; it does not cancel or remit the punishment, it simply delays it, usually for a specific period of time or until a decision can be arrived at as to the possibility of pardon or reduction of sentence: a last-minute reprieve, allowing the filing of an appeal to the Supreme Court. 6. acquit, clear. See excuse. 7. forgive, absolve, condone, overlook.
Ant. 5. censure, blame.