Part 4508

<p><b>3.</b> <def>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.</def>

<blockquote>Father, <b>forgive</b> them; for they know not what they do. <i>Luke xxiii. 34.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>I as free <b>forgive</b> you, as I would be <b>fforgiven</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; Sometimes both the person and the offense follow as objects of the verb, sometimes one and sometimes the other being the indirect object. "<i>Forgive</i> us our debts as we <i>forgive</i> our debtors." <i>Matt. vi. 12.</i> "Be of good cheer; thy sins be <i>forgiven</i> thee." <i>Matt. ix. 2.</i></note>

<syn>Syn. -- See <er>excuse</er>.</syn>

<h1>Forgiveness</h1> <Xpage=586>

<hw>For*give"ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[AS. <ets>forgifnes</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of forgiving; the state of being forgiven; <as>as, the <ex>forgiveness</ex> of sin or of injuries</as>.</def>

<blockquote>To the Lord our God belong mercies and <b>forgivenesses</b>. <i>Dan. ix. 9.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>In whom we have . . . the <b>forgiveness</b> of sin. <i>Eph. i. 7.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Disposition to pardon; willingness to forgive.</def>

<blockquote>If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is <b>forgiveness</b> with thee, that thou mayest be feared. <i>Ps. cxxx. 3, 4.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- <h1>Pardon, remission</h1> <Xpage=586>

<hw>Pardon</hw>, <hw>remission</hw>.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Forgiveness</er>, <er>Pardon</er>. <i>Forgiveness</i> is Anglo-Saxon, and <i>pardon</i> Norman French, both implying a <i>giving back</i>. The word <i>pardon</i>, being early used in our Bible, has, in religious matters, the same sense as <i>forgiveness</i>; but in the language of common life there is a difference between them, such as we often find between corresponding Anglo-Saxon and Norman words. <i>Forgive</i> points to inward feeling, and suppose alienated affection; when we ask <i>forgiveness</i>, we primarily seek the removal of anger. <i>Pardon</i> looks more to outward things or consequences, and is often applied to trifling matters, as when we beg <i>pardon</i> for interrupting a man, or for jostling him in a crowd. The civil magistrate also grants a <i>pardon</i>, and not <i>forgiveness</i>. The two words are, therefore, very clearly distinguished from each other in most cases which relate to the common concerns of life.</usage>

<h1>Forgiver</h1> <Xpage=586>

<hw>For*giv"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who forgives.</def>

<i>Johnson.</i>

<h1>Forgiving</h1> <Xpage=586>

<hw>For*giv"ing</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Disposed to forgive; inclined to overlook offenses; mild; merciful; compassionate; placable; <as>as, a <ex>forgiving</ex> temper</as>.</def>

-- <wordforms><wf>For*giv"ing*ly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt> -- <wf>For*giv"ing*ness</wf>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<i>J. C. Shairp.</i>

<h1>Forgo</h1> <Xpage=586>

<hw>For*go"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp.</tt> <er>Forwent</er>; <tt>p. p.</tt> <er>Forgone</er>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Forgoing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>forgan</ets>, <ets>forgon</ets>, <ets>forgoon</ets>, AS. forg\'ben, prop., to go past, hence, to abstain from; pref. <ets>for-</ets> + <ets>g\'ben</ets> to go; akin to G. <ets>vergehen</ets> to pass away, to transgress. See <er>Go</er>, <tt>v. i.</tt>]</ety> <def>To pass by; to leave. See 1st <er>Forego</er>.</def>

<blockquote>For sith [since] I shall <b>forgoon</b> my liberty At your request. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>And four since Florimell the court <b>forwent</b>. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; This word in spelling has been confused with, and almost superseded by, <i>forego</i> to go before. Etymologically the form <i>forgo</i> is correct.</note>

<h1>Forgot</h1> <Xpage=586>

<hw>For*got"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <def><tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> of <er>Forget</er>.</def>

<h1>Forgotten</h1> <Xpage=586>