indulgence
/ɪnˈdʌldʒ(ə)ns
/noun
1 [mass noun] The action or fact of indulging: indulgence in self-pity...
- And we will have contributed a good deal of pain, cruelty and selfish indulgence to the karma of the universe.
- It was either taught in parables or using horror messages to discourage young people from ‘premarital’ sexual indulgence.
- The very measures that are supposed to protect our young people from over indulgence of self-abuse habits are in fact the lures that draw them into it.
Synonyms
satisfaction, satisfying, gratification, gratifying, fulfilment, fulfilling, satiation, appeasement, assuagement, quenching, slaking;
accommodation
self-gratification, self-indulgence, overindulgence, overconsumption, intemperance, immoderation, immoderateness, dissipation, dissolution, dissoluteness, debauchery, excess, excessiveness, lack of restraint, prodigality, extravagance, decadence, pleasure-seeking, wantonness, lack of self-control
rare sybaritism
pampering, coddling, mollycoddling, cosseting, babying, mothering, nannying;
spoiling, humouring, catering to someone's every whim;
partiality
1.1The state or attitude of being indulgent or tolerant: she regarded his affairs with a casual, slightly amused indulgence...
- To be able to look at childhood fantasies with indulgence and optimism is a lot about recognising the child in all of us.
- We are in the era of guarded opulence and while heads are rolling in town, a certain level of indulgence continues to continue in Napoleon's France.
- Unfortunately, this talent had a weak side: her inclination toward indulgence and spoiling her little darlings.
Synonyms
tolerance, forbearance, humanity, compassion, kindness, understanding, sympathy, liberalness, liberality, forgiveness, leniency, lenience, clemency, mercy, mercifulness
1.2 [count noun] A thing that is indulged in; a luxury: Claire collects shoes—it is her indulgence...
- With indulgence in luxuries out of the question, he recommended reading, gardening and amateur theatricals.
- I saw therapy as an indulgence, a luxury I couldn't afford, and the idea of antidepressants frightened me.
- This is consumer advertising that recognises that consumers are having a difficult time of it and market their products as little luxuries or indulgences.
Synonyms
extravagance, luxury, treat, comfort, non-essential, extra, frill
2chiefly historical (In the Roman Catholic Church) a grant by the Pope of remission of the temporal punishment in purgatory still due for sins after absolution. The unrestricted sale of indulgences by pardoners was a widespread abuse during the later Middle Ages.The ‘treasures of the Church,’ out of which the Pope grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ....
- The practice of granting indulgences - remission of punishment for sins through the intercession of the Church - already had a long history.
- Most especially Luther disputed the sale of indulgences whereby, as Luther perceived, believers might buy forgiveness for themselves or their departed relatives.
3An extension of the time in which a bill or debt has to be paid: the notice given granted a final indulgence of four weeks...
- It is merely intended as an indulgence offered by the lender to the borrower.
Origin
Late Middle English: via Old French from Latin indulgentia, from the verb indulgere (see indulge).