forgive English · revision 6661

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 900|origins=ang forgiefan}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fə(ɹ)ˈɡɪv/, /fɔː(ɹ)ˈɡɪv/; /fɚˈɡɪv/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English foryeven, forgiven, [[inh|ang|forgiefan|t=to give, grant; to pardon]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|ang|for-|t=completely]] and [[m|ang|giefan|t=to give]] (see [[give]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It corresponds to [[osx|fargeban]], [[nl|vergeven]], [[de|vergeben]] and [[got|𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽|tr=fragiban|t=to grant]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) and Etymonline suggests that the pardoning sense comes from a Germanic loan-translation of Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*perdōnāre]] (see [[pardon]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The hard g is from give, itself influenced by Norse; the Old English form would have given *foryive.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To give or grant: about 900 in Barnhart and the OED, a sense now obsolete.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ To remit a debt and to pardon an offence or an offender are from about 1000.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) To give up resentment or wrath is from about 1200.^(OED 1989) [[forgiveness|alt=Forgiveness]] is from Old English forgifennes, before 1121 as forgivenesse.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) In Leicestershire and East Anglian dialect, frost was said to forgive when it thawed slightly.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 900 – to give, grant.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1000 – to pardon an offence or debt.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – to give up resentment.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To stop feeling angry or resentful towards someone for an offence.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To [[pardon]] an offence or mistake.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To cancel a [[debt]] or obligation.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[forgivable]]

+ * [[forgivably]]

+ * [[forgiver]]

+ * [[forgiveness]]

+ * [[forgiving]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[give]]

+ * [[pardon]]

+ * [[forget]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}