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/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

absolve (third-person singular simple present absolves, present participle absolving, simple past and past participle absolved)

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.
   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Second Edition, Book VII, 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) Chinese: 使免除 (shǐ miǎnchú) Dutch: vergeven (nl), kwijtschelden (nl), ontheffen (nl) Finnish: vapauttaa (fi) French: absoudre (fr) German: entbinden Greek: απαλλάσω (apaláso) Italian: assolvere (it)

Japanese: 解放する(かいほうする, kaihōsuru) Norwegian: frikjenne (no) Persian: معاف کردن (fa) Portuguese: eximir (pt), exonerar (pt) Russian: освобождать от (osvoboždat’ ot) Spanish: absolver (es), exculpar (es) Swedish: frikalla (sv), frita (sv), fritaga (sv), lösa (sv)

pronounce free or give absolution

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

Italian: assolvere (it) Latin: absolvō (la) Norwegian: frikjenne (no) Persian: عفو کردن (fa) Portuguese: absolver (pt) Russian: освобождать от (osvoboždat’ ot), снимать (snimát’) Spanish: absolver (es) Swedish: frikänna (sv)

theology: pronounce free or give absolution from sin

Bulgarian: опрощавам (bg) Chinese: 赦免 (shèmiǎn), 赦罪 (shèzuì) Dutch: vergeven (nl) French: absoudre (fr) German: freisprechen, lossprechen, absolvieren (de) Hungarian: feloldoz (hu) Italian: assolvere (it)

Latin: absolvo (la) Norwegian: tilgi (no) Persian: آمرزیدن (fa) Portuguese: absolver (pt) Russian: прощать (proščát’), отпускать (otpuskát’) Swedish: ge absolution (sv) åt, avlösa (sv)

obsolete: finish, accomplish

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

Latin: absolvō (la)

obsolete: resolve or explain

Dutch: uitleggen (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

---

Latin

Verb

absolve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of absolvō