forgive
//fə(ɹ)ˈɡɪv//
informalForms
- present (v1)
- forgive
- past (v2)
- forgave
- past participle (v3)
- forgiven
- present participle
- forgiving
- 3rd person singular
- forgives
Definitions
1.To pardon (someone); to waive any negative feeling towards or desire for punishment or retribution against.
- Please forgive me if my phone goes off - I'm expecting an urgent call from my boss.
- Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.
2.To pardon (something); to waive any negative feeling over or retribution for.
- What? Are we all just supposed to forgive this? This guy messed up in the worst possible way he could! Now we have nothing!
3.To waive or remit (a debt), to absolve from payment or compensation of.
- Forgive a debt, that is, tell a debtor that a repayment of a loan is no longer needed.
- In several months you’re likely to have a clearer picture on how your state intends to treat your forgiven PPP loan and the deductibility of your business expenses not just for tax year 2020 but also tax year 2021.
4.To accord forgiveness.
- The brave know only how to forgive […] A coward never forgave; it is not in his nature.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2751
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
Alteration (due to give) of Middle English foryiven, forȝiven, from Old English forġiefan (“to forgive, to give”), from Proto-West Germanic *frageban, from Proto-Germanic *fragebaną (“to give away; give up; release; forgive”), equivalent to for- + give (etymologically for- + yive).