kind indulgence, as in forgiveness of an offense or discourtesy or in tolerance of a distraction or inconvenience

I beg your pardon, but which way is Spruce Street?

Law .

a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor.

the document by which such remission is declared.

forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.

Obsolete . a papal indulgence.

to make courteous allowance for or to excuse

Pardon me, madam.

to release (a person) from liability for an offense.

to remit the penalty of (an offense)

The governor will not pardon your crime.

(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.)

adjective

inexcusable , unpardonable

adjective

excusable , forgivable , venial , remissible