No Matter How You Say It: Forgiveness

by | Mar 25, 2022 | No Matter How You Say It | 0 comments

Word Origin

Forgive comes from the Old English forgiefan. It was a compound word combining the prefix meaning “up” or “away” with the word meaning “to give”. Can you see how forgive is giving up a claim against someone?

Sign Language

Check out the following links from www.handspeak.com for the American Sign Language interpretation of the words

Forgive

Bitter

Can you see how forgiveness brushes away a hurt? For bitter, there are two signs. One for bitter as in taste and the other is resentment. The taste is one jab at your chin. Resentment is multiple jabs at your chin. Can you see how resentment hurts yourself?

Forgiveness Idioms

  • Be a new person
  • Be compassionate
  • Be empathetic
  • Be merciful
  • Be the bigger person
  • Be understanding
  • Bury the Hatchet
  • Extend grace
  • Forgive and Forget
  • Got a chip on his shoulder
  • Have a forgiving heart
  • Hold a grudge
  • Hold no ill will
  • Learn from your mistakes
  • Leave the past in the dust
  • Let bygones be bygones
  • Let go of the past
  • Move on
  • Not hold a grudge
  • Offer an olive branch
  • Put the past behind you
  • Start with a clean slate
  • Take the high road
  • Turn a blind eye
  • Turn the other cheek
  • Wash your hands of something
  • Water under the Bridge
  • Wipe the slate clean

                                            In Other Languages

                                            Spanish – perdón

                                            French – le pardon

                                            German – Vergebung

                                            Italian – perdono

                                            Swedish – förlåtelse

                                            Basque – barkamena

                                            Portugese – perdão

                                             

                                            For other character qualities related to Forgiveness,
                                            visit the Related Qualities page.