verb
forgive
fuh-GIHV
verb
1
To stop feeling angry at someone and let go of blame for what they did.
"It took years, but she finally forgave her brother."
"He asked his friend to forgive him for the misunderstanding."
2
To cancel a debt someone owes.
"The bank agreed to forgive part of the loan."
How to Use Forgive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo let go of anger or blame toward someone, or to cancel a debt.
Common mistake
Forgiving doesn't always mean forgetting — you can forgive someone while still remembering what happened.
Common pairings
forgive someone for
forgive a debt
forgive and forget
Word Forms
forgave past tense, forgiven past tense, forgives singular
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He asked his friend to _____ him for the misunderstanding.
Etymology
From Old English forġiefan, literally "to give up (a grievance)" — for- + give.