Chapter Forfeitable to Forisfamiliate of F by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

3. 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.

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Luke xxiii. 34.

I as free forgive you, as I would be fforgiven.

Shak.

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

Syn. — See excuse.

Forgiveness
(For*give"ness), n. [AS. forgifnes.]

1. The act of forgiving; the state of being forgiven; as, the forgiveness of sin or of injuries.

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses.

Dan. ix. 9.

In whom we have . . . the forgiveness of sin.

Eph. i. 7.

2. Disposition to pardon; willingness to forgive.

If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

Ps. cxxx. 3, 4.

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

Forgiver
(For*giv"er) n. One who forgives. Johnson.

Forgiving
(For*giv"ing), a. Disposed to forgive; inclined to overlook offenses; mild; merciful; compassionate; placable; as, a forgiving temper.

— For*giv"ing*ly, adv. — For*giv"ing*ness, n. J. C. Shairp.

Forgo
(For*go") v. t. [imp. Forwent; p. p. Forgone; p. pr. & vb. n. Forgoing.] [OE. forgan, forgon, forgoon, AS. forgan, prop., to go past, hence, to abstain from; pref. for- + gan to go; akin to G. vergehen to pass away, to transgress. See Go, v. i.] To pass by; to leave. See 1st Forego.

For sith [since] I shall forgoon my liberty
At your request.

Chaucer.

And four [days] since Florimell the court forwent.

Spenser.

This word in spelling has been confused with, and almost superseded by, forego to go before. Etymologically the form forgo is correct.

Forgot
(For*got") imp. & p. p. of Forget.

Forgotten
(For*got"ten) p. p. of Forget.