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to pardon; having or exercising the right to pardon; willing to pardon; merciful; as, the pardoning power; a pardoning God.

The change of a penalty or punishment by the pardoning power of the State; as, the commutation of a sentence of death to banishment or imprisonment. Suits are allowable in the spiritual courts for money agreed to be given as a commutation for penance. Blackstone.

The act of condoning or pardoning.

The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation. Pleading so wisely in excuse of it. Shak.

Acts xvii. 30 (Rev. Ver. ) They overlook truth in the judgments they pass. Atterbury. The pardoning and overlooking of faults. Addison.

The act of pardoning; forgiveness, as of an offender, or of an offense; release from penalty; remission of punishment; absolution. Pardon, my lord, for me and for my tidings. Shak. But infinite in pardon was my judge. Milton. Used in expressing courteous denial or contradiction; as, I crave your pardon; or in indicatin…

Sympathetic sorrow; pity; compassion. Curse on the unpardoning prince, whom tears can draw To no remorse. Dryden. But evermore it seem'd an easier thing At once without remorse to strike her dead. Tennyson.

A freak; a slip; a fault; an escapade. [Obs.] Not pardoning so much as the scapes of error and ignorance. Milton.