释义 |
absolutionn.Origin: Either (i) a borrowing from Latin. Or (ii) a borrowing from French. Etymons: Latin absolūtiōn-, absolūtiō; French absolution. Etymology: Originally < classical Latin absolūtiōn-, absolūtiō (see below); subsequently reinforced by or reborrowed < Anglo-Norman absoluciun, absolutiun, Anglo-Norman and Middle French absolucion, absolution (French absolution ) remission of sins (c1172 in Old French), acquittal (of a defendant) (a1268), dispensation (c1245 or earlier in Anglo-Norman, with reference to dispensation from a vow), forgiveness of offences, pardon (end of the 13th cent. or earlier in Anglo-Norman) and its etymon classical Latin absolūtiōn-, absolūtiō completion, finishing, completeness, perfection, acquittal, release (from an obligation), in post-classical Latin also deliverance from sin or death (early 3rd cent. in Tertullian), pardon, remission of sins (4th cent.), dissolution of a meeting (10th cent.), discharge from office (from 11th cent. in British sources), release from sentence, especially of excommunication (from early 13th cent. in British sources), release from oath (from 13th cent. in British sources) < absolūt- , past participial stem of absolvere absolve v. + -iō -ion suffix1. Compare Spanish absolución (first half of the 13th cent.), Portuguese absolução (15th cent. as †absoluçom ), Italian assoluzione (a1348), and also Middle Dutch absolucie , absolutie (Dutch absolutie ), Middle Low German absolūcie , absollūciōn , Middle High German or early modern German absolutie (1346; German Absolution ), all earliest in sense 1a. Compare assoiling n.In absolution from the instance at sense 3b after Dutch absolutie van de instantie (a1572 or earlier; Afrikaans absolusie van die instansie ); compare earlier to absolve from the instance at absolve v. 4b. In α. forms after the Latin accusative singular. N.E.D. (1884) gives the pronunciation as (æbsŏliū·ʃən) /æbsəˈljuːʃən/. 1. Christian Church. society > faith > worship > sacrament > confession > absolution > [noun] α. OE Handbk. for Use of Confessor (Corpus Cambr. 201) in (1965) 83 20 On ðone þurnesdæg ær Eastron..him þonne se biscop ofer singeð and absolutionem deð. OE Wulfstan (Hatton 113) 235 Ðonne absolutionem bisceopas ofer hy rædað..& mid þam heora synna þurh Godes mildheortnesse myclum gelyhtað. β. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris (1873) 2nd Ser. 99 (MED) We bien cumen..a palm sunedai to procession, a shereðursdai to absoluciun.c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 222 And plesant was his absolucioun.a1450 (1969) l. 3139 God grauntyd þat remission, Mercy, and absolicion.?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden (Harl. 2261) (1874) V. 419 (MED) He made a decre that monkes myȝhte exercise the office of prechynge, off baptizynge, and of absolucion [a1387 J. Trevisa tr. assoillynge].1530 (Fawkes) (1873) i. 39 Trew shryfte of mouthe with absolucion folowyng lyghtyth moche a soulle.1558 Bp. T. Watson xxx. f. clxxxviii Fyrst to confesse hym selfe and receyue the Sacrament of Absolution.1639 R. Gentilis tr. P. Sarpi 48 The punishments which the Inquisition imposeth, are spirituall, as Abjurations, Absolutions, or Advisements.1657 Bp. J. Taylor (ed. 2) 194 Our absolution does but..comfort and instruct your Conscience, direct and manage it.1704 R. Nelson (ed. 2) ii. iv. 393 The Priest..with a loud Voice did proclaim publick Absolution.1760 L. Sterne II. xvii. 123 The wound [of conscience] digests there, and will do well enough, and in a short time be quite healed up by absolution.1773 P. Brydone II. xxxii. 236 This is the first mortal sin, for which there is neither atonement nor absolution;— ‘to lie with a nun, and yet not be in orders’.1851 H. W. Longfellow vi. 276 After confession, after absolution, When my whole soul was white, I prayed for them.1855 F. Procter 324 The Comfortable Words that follow are the scriptural statements upon which the absolution is grounded.1902 W. James vi. 128 Martin Luther..repudiated priestly absolution for sin.1951 L. P. Hartley xxiii. 241 Had she been eligible to receive absolution she would scarcely have waited for it.1997 E. A. Livingstone (ed. 3) 7/2 The need for a formal absolution by an ordained minister is commonly denied among Protestants.society > faith > worship > sacrament > confession > penance > remission of penance > [noun] > formula declaring ?c1225 (?a1200) (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 256 Efter þe absoluciun he [sc. the priest] schalþus seggen. c1390 (a1376) W. Langland (Vernon) (1867) A. viii. l. 67 (MED) Laborers..Hedde þe same Absolucion þat sent was to pers. c1450 (1904) I. 16 (MED) He wrote his absolucion in a scrow of papir to assoyle hym of þe said sentans of cursyng. c1475 Antichrist & Disciples in J. H. Todd (1851) p. cliii (MED) False absoluciouns bouȝt at þe court of Roome. 1530 (Fawkes) (1873) ii. 101 After Pater noster foloweth an Absolucyon, that is as moche to say as a losynge fro, or a fredome. ?1533 W. Tyndale (vi) f. lxxvi Thou art bounde by these woordes so fast that none..can lowse the. No, though our erthyshe God whisper all his absolucions ouer the. 1662 (rubric) The Absolution or Remission of Sins, To be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing. 1750 M. James 201 Many well-meaning people..have conceiv'd, they..can easily dispense with a Commandment or two, if they are but in time for the Absolution. 1791 A. Yearsley iii. 46 Our Bulls have been misused To sanctify false deeds: deeply profan'd Are our indulgences and absolutions. 1888 26 472/3 In the private recitation of Matins and Evensong, the recitant can omit the exhortation and the absolution, but should say all else. 1956 R. Macaulay i. 14 My uncle, after commending both their souls and pronouncing an absolution, aimed his gun at her and fired. 1995 P. Conroy (1996) xviii. 298 Father Jordan ran beside me making the sign of the cross and giving me the short form of absolution used only in cases of extraordinary urgency. society > faith > worship > sacrament > confession > penance > remission of penance > [noun] c1475 (?c1400) (1842) 19 Mekly taking a noþer absolucoun of iurisdiccoun of him þat cursid. 1634 J. Canne iii. 134 Excommunication, and the absolution or reconciliation of the excommunicate, are actions common to the whole church. 1702 I. ii. 86 To restrain any Excommunication from being pronounced, or Absolution from being given, without the approbation of the Bishop. 1851 H. White 250 His majesty obtained an absolution from this sentence by sitting at the pope's gate three days barefooted. 1930 3 149 Marinus..was one of those sent to seek papal absolution for Frederick from the excommunication incurred by his abandonment of the crusade. 2006 E. K. McEwan i. 26 To accept absolution from excommunication for leaving the convent would have been to accept that she was indeed an apostate. 2. gen.society > morality > duty or obligation > moral or legal constraint > immunity or exemption from liability > forgiveness > [noun] a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) viii. 2892 (MED) Touchende mi confession I axe an absolucion Of Genius, er that I go. c1400 (?c1390) (1940) 1882 (MED) Þere he schrof hym..& of absolucioun he on þe segge calles. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer (Hunterian) (1891) l. 6410 Ne I have non affeccioun To have double absolucioun. 1520 v. f. 59/2 Then themperour meked hymselfe & fell downe to the grounde & asked mercy & absolucyon. 1612 T. Dekker sig. C4v I absolution beg on both my knees, For what my tongue offended in. 1649 J. Milton ii. 21 He..who thinks, by such weak policies and ostentations..to gaine beleife and absolution. 1756 (ed. 2) 102 I design..this Afternoon to repair to St Anne's Prayers, to beg Absolution of my Creator and my Mistress. 1856 J. A. Froude I. 276 The government, while granting absolution to the nation, determined to make some exceptions. 1876 E. A. Freeman III. xii. 92 In the hope that an absolution after the fact might be won. 1925 V. Woolf 88 To shower down from her magnificent hands compassion, comprehension, absolution. 1940 45 335 My ignorance gave me absolution for breaches of etiquette. 1999 ‘Eurydice’ 178 He apologizes profusely.., already looking ahead to his absolution with the self-immolated gaze of a binger craving a purge. society > morality > duty or obligation > moral or legal constraint > immunity or exemption from liability > [noun] > release from duty or obligation society > morality > duty or obligation > moral or legal constraint > immunity or exemption from liability > [noun] > release from duty or obligation > formal 1447 O. Bokenham (Arun.) (1938) 1697 (MED) And whan þu hast get an absolucyon Of þis curs and hast fecundyte, Than shul they yiftes acceptable be. a1500 (?c1425) (1936) 49 (MED) And the Paske day betokeneþ absolucion of the same thraldom. 1603 R. Knolles 50 He..procured of the bishops a generall absolution for them all, from the oath of obedience which they had before giuen vnto the emperour. 1651 T. Hobbes ii. xx. 102 When the Soveraign, who is the Actor, acquitteth him, then he is acquitted by him that extorted the promise, as by the Author of such absolution. 1724 M. Marcus 27 In your Synagogue you have an Absolution of all Oaths, Vows, Obligations, which you pardon from the last Day of Expiation. 1748 S. Richardson VI. lxvii. 244 All I have to hope for, is, first, that my father will absolve me from his heavy malediction... I have written to my sister; but have only mentioned the absolution. 1852 F. W. Faber (ed. 2) 185 Grant us, dear lord! from evil ways True absolution and release. 1875 W. Stubbs II. xiv. 155 He..applied for a bull of absolution from the oaths so lately taken. 1907 22 30 The king urged for an absolution from their vows. 1958 J. Graham 14 An exemption is a statutory absolution from draft liability while a deferment is merely an administrative postponement of it. 2005 A. C. Christensen vii. 253 He pronounces..her absolution from any residual obligation that the vow may have imposed upon her. 3. Law. society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > judging > acquittal or clearing of accusation > [noun] 1569 E. Fenton tr. P. Boaistuau f. 105v If the man subdued the crueltye of the beast, and killed him, it serued as an absolution or dispence from further punishment [Fr. Si l'homme aussi la mettoit a mort, il estoit absoulz du crime et peché qu'il auoit commis]. c1600 B. Holyday tr. Juvenal 244 In one [waxen table] being written the letter A, to signifie the acquittal or absolution of the defendant. 1651 T. Hobbes ii. xix. 97 For to accuse, requires less eloquence..to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution more resembles Justice. 1726 J. Ayliffe 18 The word Absolution..in the Civil Law imports a full and entire acquittal of a person by some final Sentence of Law, upon hearing the Merits of a Cause. 1741 C. Middleton (ed. 3) II. vi. 120 It was all charged to the absolution of Gabinius after his daring violation of religion. 1875 E. Poste tr. Gaius (ed. 2) iv. §114. 590 The grounds effectual for the absolution of the defendant. 1914 23 328 This prejudice began in a well-founded English abhorrence of the absolution of the Roman public law. 1959 107 129 In the law of conspiracy, the absolution of one alleged conspirator forecloses conviction of another. 2003 N. Kada in J.C. Baumgartner & N. Kada vii. 127 For enemies of the ex-president, the ruling was too soft; for the defense, the ruling should have been absolution of the defendant. 1870 III. 13 The Attorney-General moved for absolution from the instance, in respect that there was no proof whatever of the publication of the letter by the defendant. 1912 13 159 In the Lower court the magistrate, after hearing evidence for the plaintiff, granted absolution from the instance without calling upon the defence. 1970 12 Nov. 3 He granted the plaintiff absolution from the instance, which means that the woman might at some other time, and in changed circumstances, re-open her case. 1987 20 Mar. 1 He gave a judgement of ‘absolution’, meaning that should Mr B—— be able to bring evidence that Mrs P——'s husband knew about the contract, he could present it to the court. 2000 (Nexis) 24 Nov. 4 This was an appeal against the granting of absolution from the instance. the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > [noun] > delivery the mind > language > speech > speech-making > recitation > [noun] a1637 B. Jonson Timber 2040 in (1640) III Some Language is high and great..the composition full, the absolution plenteous, and powr'd out, all grave, sinnewye and strong. the mind > possession > relinquishing > casting or laying aside > [noun] the world > space > place > removal or displacement > [noun] > clearing or sweeping away > riddance 1655 T. Fuller xi. 224 But grant it true, not a total absolution, but a reformation therof [sc. of the liturgy] may hence be inferred. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < n.OE |