No Matter How You Say It: Forgiveness

by | Mar 30, 2025 | No Matter How You Say It

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?

Icons and Graphics for Forgiveness

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

Forgiveness Idioms

  • Be a new person
  • Be the bigger person
  • 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