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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | forgifan |
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for‧give S3
past tense forgave
, past participle forgiven
[intransitive and transitive]
past tense forgave, past participle forgiven [intransitive and transitive]1 to stop being angry with someone and stop blaming them, although they have done something wrong 
He didn't look the sort of man to forgive and forget (=forgive someone and no longer think about it).
forgive somebody for (doing) something I've tried to forgive him for what he said. He never forgave her for walking out on him.
I've tried to forgive him for what he said.He never forgave her for walking out on him. you're forgiven spoken (=used to tell someone that you are not angry with them) 'I'm really sorry.' 'It's okay, you're forgiven.'
'I'm really sorry.' 'It's okay, you're forgiven.'He didn't look the sort of man to forgive and forget (=forgive someone and no longer think about it).2 used when you are going to say or do something that might seem rude or offensive and you want it to seem more polite :
forgive me
spoken forgive me for asking/saying etc something also forgive my asking/saying etc Forgive my phoning you so late.
Forgive my phoning you so late.3 used to say that it is easy to understand why someone might think or do something : You could be forgiven for thinking football is a religion here.
somebody can be forgiven for thinking/believing/feeling etc something
You could be forgiven for thinking football is a religion here.4 if a country or organization forgives a debt, it says that the money does not have to be paid back [= write off]: Saudi Arabia's decision to forgive the debt owed by the poorest Islamic countries
forgive a debt/loan
formalSaudi Arabia's decision to forgive the debt owed by the poorest Islamic countries
