pardon

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Forgiveness for something wrong that someone has done.

   He begged his father for pardon.

2. 2
   verb

   To forgive someone for something they have done.

   Please pardon me for being late.

3. 3
   noun

   An official decision to free a criminal or cancel their punishment.

   The president granted the prisoner a full pardon.

4. 4
   verb

   To officially forgive someone for a crime.

   The governor pardoned several prisoners before leaving office.

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.

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