forgive

Pronunciation

• enPR: fər-gĭv' or fôr-gĭv'
• IPA ^(key): /fəˈgɪv/ or /fɔː(r)ˈgɪv/
• SAMPA: /f@(r)ˈgIv/ or /fO:(r)ˈgIv/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form forgive

Third-person singular forgives

Past tense forgave

Past participle forgiven

Present participle forgiving

1. When you forgive something, you do not punish the person who did it.

   I know you stole some money from me, but I forgive your stealing.

   I have forgiven your disloyalty.

2. When you forgive a person, you do not try to punish that person for something.

   I know you stole some money from me, but I forgive you.

   I forgave them for being cruel when we were younger.

Related words

• forgiveness