pardon
PAR-duhn
/ˈpɑːr.dən/
An official act by a head of state forgiving a person convicted of a crime and restoring their civil rights.
A pardon officially releases a person from punishment and often restores rights like voting, though legal debate exists on whether it completely erases historic guilt.
The story behind the word. Derived from Old French 'pardonner', which came from Vulgar Latin 'perdonare'—literally 'to give completely or grant freely'. To pardon was to make a complete gift of forgiveness.
Word relationships
- forgiveness: Forgiveness is personal and emotional; a pardon is a formal legal act of state grace.
- absolution: Absolution is primarily religious or moral forgiveness, whereas pardon is political/legal.
- conviction: Conviction is a formal legal finding of guilt, contrasting with pardon.
- punishment: Punishment is penalty enforcement, which a pardon completely cancels.
Commonly confused with
- amnesty: A pardon applies to an individual after conviction, while amnesty usually applies to a whole class or group before or after trial.
Word family
- pardonable (adjective): Excusable or forgivable.
- unpardonable (adjective): Inexcusable or unforgivable.
Collocations
- presidential pardon
- grant a pardon
- unconditional pardon
- posthumous pardon
Idioms & expressions
- beg someone's pardon
Example sentences
- "The president issued a full presidential pardon to the whistleblower after years of public debate." Presidential action
- "I beg your pardon, but the constitutional framework strictly reserves that power for the executive branch." Formal discourse
Memory hook
Par-DON = PAR ticular DON ation of forgiveness. Pardon = Complete gift of freedom.
When not to use
Avoid using in civil litigation where money damages rather than criminal offenses are disputed.
Fun facts
- In the United States, presidents annually 'pardon' a turkey before Thanksgiving in a lighthearted tradition dating back to mid-20th century politics.
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