<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>kind indulgence, as in forgiveness of an offense or discourtesy or in tolerance of a distraction or inconvenience.</li><li>a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor.</li><li>forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.</li><li>the document by which such remission is declared.</li><li>Synonyms: remission, absolution.</li><li>Obsolete: a papal indulgence.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>to make courteous allowance for or to excuse.</li><li>to release (a person) from liability for an offense.</li><li>to remit the penalty of (an offense): The governor will not pardon your crime.</li><li>Synonyms: clear, acquit.</li><li>Antonyms: blame, censure.</li></ul><p><strong>Interjection</strong></p><ul><li>(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).</li></ul>