Adjacent Words

Absolution definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ABSOLU'TION, n. In the civil law, an acquittal or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent. In the canon law, a remission of sins pronounced by a priest in favor of a penitent. Among protestants, a sentence by which an excommunicated person is released from his liability to punishment.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the condition of being formally forgiven by a priest in the sacrament of penance
2: the act of absolving or remitting; formal redemption as pronounced by a priest in the sacrament of penance [syn: absolution, remission, remittal, remission of sin]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 13th century the act of absolving; specifically a remission of sins pronounced by a priest (as in the sacrament of reconciliation)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment. 2 an ecclesiastical declaration of forgiveness of sins. 3 a remission of penance. 4 forgiveness. Etymology: ME f. OF f. L absolutio -onis (as ABSOLVE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Absolution Ab`so*lu"tion, n. [F. absolution, L. absolutio, fr. absolvere to absolve. See Absolve.] 1. An absolving, or setting free from guilt, sin, or penalty; forgiveness of an offense. ``Government . . . granting absolution to the nation.'' --Froude. 2. (Civil Law) An acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring and accused person innocent. [Obs.] 3. (R. C. Ch.) The exercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven. Note: In the English and other Protestant churches, this act regarded as simply declaratory, not as imparting forgiveness. 4. (Eccl.) An absolving from ecclesiastical penalties, -- for example, excommunication. --P. Cyc. 5. The form of words by which a penitent is absolved. --Shipley. 6. Delivery, in speech. [Obs.] --B. Jonson. Absolution day (R. C. Ch.), Tuesday before Easter.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

If someone is given absolution, they are forgiven for something wrong that they have done. (FORMAL) She felt as if his words had granted her absolution. = forgiveness

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ab-so-lu'-shun (translation of verbs luo, "loose," etc., and aphiemi, "release," "give up," etc.): Not a Biblical, but an ecclesiastical term, used to designate the official act described in Mt 16:19: "Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven," and Mt 18:18: "What things soever ye shall loose," etc., and interpreted by Joh 20:23: "Whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them" (see KEYS, POWER OF THE). The Roman church regards this as the act of a properly ordained priest, by which, in the sacrament of Penance, he frees from sin one who has confessed and made promise of satisfaction. Protestants regard the promise as given not to any order within the church, but to the congregation of believers, exercising its prerogative through the Christian ministry, as its ordinary executive. They differ as to whether the act be only declarative or collative. Luther regarded it as both declarative and collative, since the Word always brings that which it offers. The absolution differs from the general promise of the gospel by individualizing the promise. What the gospel, as read and preached, declares in general, the absolution applies personally. See also FORGIVENESS.

H. E. Jacobs

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Acquittal, remission, discharge, release, liberation, deliverance, clearance, forgiveness, pardon, shriving, shrift. See indulgence, justification.

Moby Thesaurus

acquittal, acquittance, amnesty, clearance, clearing, compurgation, condonation, destigmatization, destigmatizing, discharge, disculpation, dismissal, exculpation, excuse, exemption, exoneration, forgiveness, grace, immunity, indemnity, pardon, purgation, purging, quietus, quittance, redemption, release, remission, remission of sin, reprieve, shrift, sparing, verdict of acquittal, vindication