forgive

to err is human (to forgive is divine)

Being fallible and making mistakes is inherent to being a human, and forgiving such mistakes is a transcendent act. I know you're mad at your brother because he lied, but to err is human, you know. To forgive is divine.

See also: err, forgive, human

forgive and forget

To forgive someone and (attempt to) forget that the wrong they committed ever happened. I really do want to move on, but I just can't forgive and forget that you tried to steal my boyfriend!

See also: and, forget, forgive

(one) will be forgiven for (doing something)

It is completely understandable why one would do, think, or believe something, even if it is incorrect. Anyone visiting this ultra-conservative country will be forgiven for thinking that they've somehow gone backwards in time. You'll be forgiven for wondering how a multinational company has failed to pay its taxes in over five years.

See also: forgive, will

(one) might be forgiven for (doing something)

It is completely understandable why one would do, think, or believe something, even if it is incorrect. Anyone visiting this ultra-conservative country might be forgiven for thinking that they've somehow gone backwards in time. You might be forgiven for wondering how a multinational company has failed to pay its taxes in over five years.

See also: forgive, might

(one) would be forgiven for (doing something)

It is completely understandable why one would do, think, or believe something, even if it is incorrect. Anyone visiting this ultra-conservative country would be forgiven for thinking that they've somehow gone backwards in time. You would be forgiven for wondering how a multinational company has failed to pay its taxes in over five years.

See also: forgive

(one) could be forgiven for (doing something)

It is completely understandable why one would do, think, or believe something, even if it is incorrect. Anyone visiting this ultra-conservative country could be forgiven for thinking that they've somehow gone backwards in time. You could be forgiven for wondering how a multinational company has failed to pay its taxes in over five years.

See also: could, forgive

Forgive and forget.

Prov. You should not only forgive people for hurting you, you should also forget that they ever hurt you. When my sister lost my favorite book, I was angry at her for weeks, but my mother finally convinced me to forgive and forget. Jane: Are you going to invite Sam to your party? Sue: No way. Last year he laughed at my new skirt. Jane: Come on, Sue, forgive and forget.

See also: and, forget, forgive

forgive someone for something

to pardon someone for something. Please forgive me for being late. He never forgave himself for harming her.

See also: forgive

forgive and forget

Both pardon and hold no resentment concerning a past event. For example, After Meg and Mary decided to forgive and forget their differences, they became good friends . This phrase dates from the 1300s and was a proverb by the mid-1500s. For a synonym, see let bygones be bygones.

See also: and, forget, forgive

to err is human, to forgive divine

it is human nature to make mistakes yourself while finding it hard to forgive others. proverb

See also: divine, err, forgive

forˌgive and forˈget

decide to forget an argument, an insult, etc: Come on, it’s time to forgive and forget. ♢ Many of his victims find it impossible to forgive and forget.

See also: and, forget, forgive

he, she, etc. could/might be forgiven for doing something

used to say that it is easy to understand why somebody does or thinks something, although they are wrong: Looking at the crowds out shopping, you could be forgiven for thinking that everyone has plenty of money to spend.

See also: could, forgive, might, something