1. (n.) The act of pardoning; forgiveness, as of an offender, or of an offense; release from penalty; remission of punishment; absolution.

2. (n.) An official warrant of remission of penalty.

3. (n.) The state of being forgiven.

4. (n.) A release, by a sovereign, or officer having jurisdiction, from the penalties of an offense, being distinguished from amnesty, which is a general obliteration and canceling of a particular line of past offenses.

5. (v. t.) To absolve from the consequences of a fault or the punishment of crime; to free from penalty; -- applied to the offender.

6. (v. t.) To remit the penalty of; to suffer to pass without punishment; to forgive; -- applied to offenses.

7. (v. t.) To refrain from exacting as a penalty.

8. (v. t.) To give leave (of departure) to.

absolution absolve accept acquit acquittal acquittance allow allowance amnesty benevolence clear clearance clearing clemency commiseration compassion compurgation condolence condonation condone decontaminate destigmatization destigmatize destigmatizing discharge disculpation dismiss dismissal dispense from exculpate exculpation excusal excuse exempt exempt from exemption exonerate exoneration favor feeling forbear forbearance forgive forgiveness forgiving free give absolution give quarter grace grant amnesty to grant forgiveness grant immunity grant remission have mercy upon have pity humanity immunity indemnification indemnity indulge indulgence justification justify kindness leniency let go let off let up on liberate melt mercy mitigation nonpros overlook overlooking pathos pity purgation purge purging quarter quash the charge quietus quittance redemption relax release relent relief remission remission of sin remit reprieve ruth self-pity set free shrift shrive small-town spare sparing sympathy take pity on thaw tolerate verdict of acquittal vindicate vindication whitewash withdraw the charge