Absolve

English

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.).
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.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To finish; to accomplish.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To resolve or explain.

Adverbs for Absolve

religiously; entirely; wholly; thoroughly; certainly; partly; freely; leniently; placably; sympathetically; forbearingly; compassionately; palliatively.

Synonyms for Absolve

• (set free): excuse, exempt, free, release, liberate, discharge.
• (pronounce free or give absolution): acquit, exculpate, exonerate, pardon, remit, vindicate
• (theology: to pronounce free or give absolution from sin): remit, forgive, cleanse.
• clear, overlook

Antonyms for Absolve

bind, accuse, charge, impeach, convict, compel, obligate, condemn, blame, incriminate.

Thesaurus

acquit; administer absolution; administer extreme unction; amnesty; cancel; clear; confess; declare a moratorium; decontaminate; destigmatize; discharge; dismiss; dispense; dispense from; dispense with; except; exculpate; excuse; exempt; exempt from; exonerate; forgive; free; give absolution; give dispensation from; grant amnesty to; grant forgiveness; grant immunity; grant remission; hear confession; justify; let go; let off; make confession; nonpros; nullify; obliterate; pardon; purge; quash the charge; receive absolution; release; relieve; remise; remit; save the necessity; set free; shrive; spare; vindicate; whitewash; wipe out; withdraw the charge; write off

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)

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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)

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

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Latin

Verb

absolve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of absolvō