Absolve

English

Etymology

15th Century, from Latin absolvere, present active infinitive of absolvō (“‘set free, absolve’”), from ab + solvō (“‘loose’”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /əbˈzɒlv/
• (US) IPA: /æbˈzɒlv/, /æbˈsɒlv/

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Verb

Infinitive to Absolve

Third person singular absolv

Simple past -

Past participle -

Present participle ing

to Absolve (third-person singular simple present absolv, present participle ing, simple past and past participle -)

1. (transitive) To set free, release or discharge (from obligations, debts, responsibility etc.).

   You will absolve a subject from his allegiance.

   • 1855, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume III:

     Halifax was absolved by a majority of fourteen.

2. (transitive) To pronounce free from or give absolution for a penalty, blame, sin or guilt.
3. (transitive, theology) To pronounce free or give absolution from sin.
   • 1782, Edward Gibbon, History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire, volume VI:

     In his name I absolve your perjury and sanctify your arms.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To finish; to accomplish.
   • Template:RQ:Milton Lost, line 94

     and the work begun, how soon / Absolv’d,

5. (transitive, obsolete) To resolve or explain.
   • 1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica^[1], page x:

     We shall not absolve the doubt.

Synonyms

• (set free): excuse, exempt, free, release
• (pronounce free or give absolution): acquit, exculpate, exonerate, pardon, remit, vindicate
• (theology: to pronounce free or give absolution from sin): remit

Derived terms

• absolver

Related terms

• absolute
• absolution

Translations

set free

Bulgarian: освобождавам bg(bg) Chinese: 使免除 (shǐ miǎnchú) Dutch: vergeven nl(nl), kwijtschelden nl(nl), ontheffen nl(nl) Finnish: vapauttaa fi(fi) French: absoudre fr(fr) German: entbinden Greek: απαλλάσω (apaláso)

Italian: assolvere it(it) Japanese: 解放する(かいほうする, kaihōsuru) Norwegian: frikjenne Portuguese: eximir pt(pt), exonerar pt(pt) Russian: освобождать от (osvoboždat’ ot) Swedish: frikalla, frita, fritaga, lösa

pronounce free or give absolution

Bulgarian: оправдавам bg(bg) Chinese: 寬恕, 宽恕 (kuānshù) Dutch: vrijspreken nl(nl), vergeven nl(nl) Finnish: antaa synnit anteeksi, antaa synninpäästö French: absoudre fr(fr) German: freisprechen

Greek: συγχωρώ (singhoró) Italian: assolvere it(it) Latin: absolvō la(la) Norwegian: frikjenne Portuguese: absolver pt(pt) Russian: освобождать от (osvoboždat’ ot), снимать (snimát’) Swedish: frikänna sv(sv)

theology: pronounce free or give absolution from sin

Bulgarian: опрощавам bg(bg) Chinese: 赦免 (shèmiǎn), 赦罪 (shèzuì) Dutch: vergeven nl(nl) French: absoudre fr(fr) German: freisprechen, lossprechen, absolvieren de(de)

Italian: assolvere it(it) Norwegian: tilgi no(no) Portuguese: absolver pt(pt) Russian: прощать (proščát’), отпускать (otpuskát’) Swedish: ge absolution åt, avlösa

obsolete: finish, accomplish

Dutch: beëindigen nl(nl), afwerken nl(nl) Italian: assolvere it(it)

Latin: absolvō la(la)

obsolete: resolve or explain

Dutch: uitleggen nl(nl)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Arabic: أحلّت Korean: 방면하십시요 (bangmyeonhasipsiyo) Novial: absolu Spanish: absolver, eximir, dispensar, exculpar, exonerar

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