English Explanatory Dictionary

pardon

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Forgiveness for an offence.
  2. An order that releases a convicted criminal without further punishment, prevents future punishment, or (in some jurisdictions) removes an offence from a person's criminal record, as if it had never been committed.
verb
  1. To forgive (a person).
  2. To refrain from exacting as a penalty.
  3. To grant an official pardon for a crime.
intj
  1. Often used when someone does not understand what another person says.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɑːdn̩/ /ˈpɑɹdn̩/ [ˈpʰɑ˞dn̩] En-us-pardon.ogg /ˈpaːdɘn/ [ˈpʰäːɾɘn]

Word forms

pardon pardons pardoning pardoned

Etymology

From Middle English pardonen, from Old French pardoner (modern French pardonner), from Late Latin perdonare, from per- + donare, possibly a calque (if not vice-versa) of a Germanic word represented by Frankish *firgeban (“to forgive, give up completely”), from *fir- + *geban. Akin to Old High German fargeban, firgeban (“to forgive”), Old English forġiefan (“to forgive”). More at forgive.

Synonyms

clemency amnesty

Derived words

begging your pardon beg pardon beg someone's pardon I beg your pardon pardonee Pardongate pardonless pardonmonger Paschal pardon prepardon self-pardon pardonable pardoner pardon me pardon mon français pardon my French pardon the expression unpardonable unpardoning
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