- kind indulgence, as in forgiveness of an offense or discourtesy or in tolerance of a distraction or inconvenience: I beg your pardon, but which way is Spruce Street?
- Law.
- a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor.
- the document by which such remission is declared.
- forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.
- a papal indulgence.
- to make courteous allowance for or to excuse: Pardon me, madam.
- to release (a person) from liability for an offense.
- to remit the penalty of (an offense): The governor will not pardon your crime.
- (used, with rising inflection, as an elliptical form of I beg your pardon, as when asking a speaker to repeat something not clearly heard or understood.)
- to excuse or forgive (a person) for (an offence, mistake, etc)
- forgiveness; allowance
- release from punishment for an offence
- the warrant granting such release
- a Roman Catholic indulgence
- Also: pardon me, I beg your pardon
- sorry; excuse me
- what did you say?
