forgive

Universal Words 1 ~ sb / yourself (for sth / for doing sth) to stop feeling angry with sb who has done sth to harm, annoy or upset you; to stop feeling angry with yourself: [VN] I'll never forgive her for what she did. * I can't forgive that type of behaviour. * I'd never forgive myself if she heard the truth from someone else. * [VNN] She'd forgive him anything. [also V] 2 ~ me (for doing sth) used to say in a polite way that you are sorry if what you are doing or saying seems rude or silly: [VN] Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly does the company do? * Forgive me, but I don't see that any of this concerns me. * Forgive me for interrupting, but I really don't agree with that. * [VN-ing] Forgive my interrupting but I really don't agree with that. 3 (formal) (of a bank, country, etc.) to say that sb does not need to pay back money that they have borrowed: [VN] The government has agreed to forgive a large part of the debt. [also VNN] IDIOMS sb could / might be forgiven for doing sth used to say that it is easy to understand why sb does or thinks sth, although they are wrong: Looking at the crowds out shopping, you could be forgiven for thinking that everyone has plenty of money. forgive and forget to stop feeling angry with sb for sth they have done to you and to behave as if it had not happened: I know what he did was wrong but don't you think it's time to forgive and forget?