different between exonerate vs absolve

English

Etymology

From Latin exoner?t-, the participle stem of exoner?re, from exoner? (“to discharge, unload; to exonerate”), from ex- (prefix denoting privation) + oner? (“to burden, lade; to load”) (from onus (“burden, load”), from Proto-Indo-European *h?énh?os (“burden, load”), from *h?enh?- (“to charge, onerate”)). The English word is cognate with French exonérer.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???z?n??e?t/, /??-/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /???z?n???e?t/, /??-/
• Hyphenation: ex?o?ner?ate

Verb

exonerate (third-person singular simple present exonerates, present participle exonerating, simple past and past participle exonerated)

1. (transitive, archaic) To relieve (someone or something) of a load; to unburden (a load).
2. (obsolete, reflexive) Of a body of water: to discharge or empty (itself).
3. (transitive) To free (someone) from an obligation, responsibility or task.
4. (transitive) To free (someone) from accusation or blame.

   Synonyms: acquit, exculpate; see also Thesaurus:acquit

Derived terms

• exonerated (adjective)
• exoneration
• exonerative
• exonerator

Translations

Adjective

exonerate

1. (archaic) Freed from an obligation; freed from accusation or blame; acquitted, exonerated.

Latin

Verb

exoner?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of exoner?

English

Etymology

First attested in the early 15th Century. From Middle English absolven, from Latin absolvere, present active infinitive of absolv? (“set free, acquit”), from ab (“away from”) + solv? (“loosen, free, release”). Doublet of assoil.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?b?z?lv/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æb?z?lv/, /æb?s?lv/, /?b?z?lv/, /?b?s?lv/

Verb

absolve (third-person singular simple present absolves, present participle absolving, simple past and past participle absolved)

1. (transitive) To set free, release or discharge (from obligations, debts, responsibility etc.). [First attested around 1350 to 1470.]
2. (transitive, obsolete) To resolve; to explain; to solve. [Attested from the late 15^th century until the mid 17^th century.]
   • 1595, George Peele, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Malone Society Reprints, 1908, lines 331-332,^[1]

     […] he that can monsters tame, laboures atchive, riddles absolve […]
3. (transitive) To pronounce free from or give absolution for a penalty, blame, or guilt. [First attested in the mid 16^th century.]
4. (transitive, law) To pronounce not guilty; to grant a pardon for. [First attested in the mid 16^th century.]
5. (transitive, theology) To grant a remission of sin; to give absolution to. [First attested in the mid 16^th century.]
6. (transitive, theology) To remit a sin; to give absolution for a sin. [First attested in the late 16^th century.]
7. (transitive, obsolete) To finish; to accomplish. [Attested from the late 16^th century until the early 19^th century.]
8. (transitive) To pass a course or test; to gain credit for a class; to qualify academically.

Usage notes

• (to set free, release from obligations): Normally followed by the word from.
• (to pronounce free from; give absolution for blame): Normally followed by the word from.

Synonyms

• (set free): excuse, exempt, free, release
• (pronounce free or give absolution): acquit, exculpate, exonerate, pardon, remit, vindicate
• (theology: to pronounce free or give absolution from sin): remit

Derived terms

• absolver

Related terms

Translations

References

Latin

Verb

absolve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of absolv?

Portuguese

Verb

absolve

1. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present indicative of absolver
2. second-person singular (tu, sometimes used with você) affirmative imperative of absolver