absolve

English

Etymology

First attested in the early 15th century. From Middle English absolven, from Latin absolvere, present active infinitive of absolvō (“set free, acquit”), from ab (“away from”) + solvō (“loosen, free, release”). Doublet of assoil.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əbˈzɒlv/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æbˈzɑlv/, /æbˈsɑlv/, /əbˈzɑlv/, /əbˈsɑlv/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒlv, -ɑlv

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.

   • 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”, in Essays: First Series:

     Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world.

   • 1851, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XIV, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume III, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 410:

     The Committee divided, and Halifax was absolved by a majority of fourteen.

2. (transitive, obsolete) To resolve; to explain; to solve.
   • 1595, George Peele, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Malone Society Reprints, 1908, lines 331-332,

     he that can monsters tame, laboures atchive, riddles absolve

   • 1650, Thomas Browne, “Of the blackneſſe of Negroes”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: , 2nd edition, London: A Miller, for Edw Dod and Nath Ekins, , →OCLC, 6th book, page 276:

     we ſhall not abſolve the doubt.

3. (transitive) To pronounce free from or give absolution for a penalty, blame, or guilt.
4. (transitive, law) To pronounce not guilty; to grant a pardon for.
   • 1725, Homer, “Book XI”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. , volume III, London: Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 121, line 702:

     Abſolves the juſt, and dooms the guilty ſouls.

5. (transitive, theology) To grant a remission of sin; to give absolution to.
   • 1597, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 3, scene 5:

     To make confession and to be absolved.

6. (transitive, theology) To remit a sin; to give absolution for a sin.
   • 1788, Edward Gibbon, chapter LXVII, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume VI, London: W Strahan; and T Cadell, , →OCLC, page 447:

     In his name I abſolve your perjury and ſanctify your arms: follow my footſteps in the paths of glory and ſalvation; and if ſtill ye have ſcruples, devolve on my head the puniſhment and the ſin.

7. (transitive, obsolete) To finish; to accomplish.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC, lines 93–94:

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

8. (transitive) To pass a course or test; to gain credit for a class; to qualify academically.

Usage notes

• (to set free, release from obligations): Normally followed by the word from.
• (to pronounce free from; give absolution for blame): Normally followed by the word from.

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

Related terms

Translations

References

Galician

Verb

absolve

1. inflection of absolver:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Latin

Verb

absolve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of absolvō

Portuguese

Verb

absolve

1. inflection of absolver:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative