pardon English · revision 39386

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300, St. Thomas Becket (South English Legendary)|origins=la dōnum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * UK: /ˈpɑːdn̩/^(Wiktionary)

+ * US: /ˈpɑɹdn̩/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[inh|enm|pardoun]], [[bor|fro|pardon|t=forgiveness, indulgence]] (Anglo-Norman [[m|xno|pardun]]), from the verb [[m|fro|pardoner|t=to grant, forgive]],^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[la-med|perdōnō|t=to grant, remit]],^(OED 2026)^(ODE 2010)^(Etymonline) formed [[af|la|per-|dōnō|t1=thoroughly|t2=to give]], from [[m|la|dōnum|t=gift]].^(AHD 2024)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The AHD calls the Latin verb Vulgar Latin, with the sense "to give wholeheartedly",^(AHD 2024) and Merriam-Webster Late Latin.^(MWU 2024) Weekley and Dictionary.com suggest that it translated a Germanic verb meaning "to forgive", [[goh|forgeben]].^(Weekley 1921)^(Dictionary.com 2016) The verb [[m|enm|pardonen]] is recorded in 1433, from the French verb.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the Roman Catholic Church, the remission of punishment still due for a sin, an [[indulgence]]: about 1300.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Chaucer used it for the forgiveness of sins (about 1390) and for a document granting an indulgence;^(OED 2026) his Pardoner is one of the clergy licensed to sell them.^(Hoad 1986) Gower has the general sense, the passing over of an offence, before 1393.^(OED 2026) In law it is a formal release from the penalties of a crime from about 1425, in Lydgate, and the document that grants it from Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.^(OED 2026) The polite excusing of a small fault appears in the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(OED 2026) ''I beg your pardon'' dates from the late 17th century, and ''pardon'' alone, meaning "excuse me" or "please repeat that", from the mid-19th century.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – an indulgence (Roman Catholic Church).^(OED 2026)

+ * c. 1390 – forgiveness of sin (Chaucer).^(OED 2026)

+ * a1393 – forgiveness of an offence (Gower).^(OED 2026)

+ * c. 1425 – legal remission of a penalty.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1433 – the verb ''pardonen''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1548 – courteous excusing of a minor fault.^(OED 2026)

+ * late 17th century – ''I beg your pardon''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * mid-19th century – ''pardon?'' for "excuse me".^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To release a person from the [[penalty]] of an offence.^(AHD 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To let an offence pass without punishment; [[forgive]].^(AHD 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To excuse politely: ''pardon the interruption''.^(AHD 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Forgiveness for an offence or a discourtesy.^(AHD 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An official release from the legal penalties of a crime, or the document that grants it.^(AHD 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(Roman Catholic Church)'' An [[indulgence]].^(AHD 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Used to apologise, or to ask someone to repeat what they said.^(Collins 2023)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pardonable]]

+ * [[pardonably]]

+ * [[pardoner]]

+ * [[unpardonable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[donation]]

+ * [[donor]]

+ * [[condone]]

+ * [[forgive]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}