v. [ad. L. absolvĕre to loosen, free, acquit, complete; f. ab off, from, + solv-ĕre to loose. Cf. Fr. absoudre, absolv-ant. Bef. its employment the main senses were expressed by ASSOIL.] Always trans.
1. To set free, pronounce free (from blame, guilt, moral burden; from the penalties and consequences of crime or sin).
c. 1538. Starkey, England, iv. 124. To declayre penytent heartys contryte for ther syn to be absoluyd from the faute therof.
1579. Lyly, Euphues, 174. Who absolued Mary Magdalen from hir sinnes but Christ?
1619. T. Taylor, Titus, ii. 14. 317. Absoluing vs both from the guilt and punishment of them.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Rebel., I. 20. Notwithstanding … that he was absolved from any notorious crime … he was at last condemned in a great Fine.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ireland, ii. 17. Father Glenny had readily absolved her from the sin of mistrusting heaven.
1868. Ecce Homo (ed. 8), I. i. 5. Absolved from all anxieties by the sense of his protection.
1870. R. W. Dale, Weekd. Serm., i. 17. This does not absolve him from moral blame.
2. spec. To pronounce (one) acquitted of sin, to give absolution or remission of sins to.
a. simply, or for some offence.
1535. Coverdale, Jere. xi. 15. As though that holy flesh might absolue the.
a. 1570. Becon, Wks., 560. Neither did the apostles absolve any otherwise than by the preaching of God’s word.
1596. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. v. 233. To make confession, and to be absolu’d.
1638. Penit. Conf. (1657), xi. 307. The Frier absolved him, but kept not his counsel.
1719. Young, The Revenge, IV. i. (1757), II. 167. And yet (For which the saints absolve my soul!) did wed.
1817. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange’s Life, II. i. 11. One’s conscience may be pretty well absolved for not admiring this man.
1865. Parkman, Champlain (1875), vi. 265. Biard … gained his pardon, received his confession, and absolved him.
b. of the sin.
1651. Hobbes, Leviathan, III. xxxviii. 241. With them that were absolved of their sinnes.
1866. Kingsley, Hereward, iii. 80. But I dare not absolve him of robbing a priest.
3. To remit, give absolution for (a sin or crime).
1592. Warner, Albion’s England (1612), VIII. xli. 198. The Pope for pay absolueth euery thing.
1647. Cowley, Mistress, Dial. viii. (1669), 77. The Cause absolves the Crime.
1662. Dryden, To Hyde, 60. Not to increase, but to absolve, our crimes.
1845. Ford, Handb. Spain, i. 67. He was a good Roman Catholic canon who believed everything, absolved everything, drank everything, ate everything, and digested everything.
4. To acquit (a person) of a criminal charge, to pronounce not guilty. esp. in Roman law.
1628. Hobbes, Thucydides (1822), 62. Pausanias … having been calld in question by them (the Spartans) was absolvd. Ibid. (1651), Leviathan, I. xvi. 83. In condemning, or absolving, equality of votes, even in that they condemne not, do absolve.
1665–9. Boyle, Occ. Refl., Ep. Ded. (1675). Divers of the Criticks will chuse rather to Absolve my Writings, than Condemn Your Judgment.
a. 1725. Pope, Odyssey, XI. 702. Absolves the just, and dooms the guilty souls.
1741. Middleton, Cicero (ed. 3), II. vi. 156. Cato, who absolved him, chose to give his vote openly.
1880. Muirhead, Gaius, IV. § 47. Words are introduced empowering the judge to condemn or absolve. Ibid., 163. He does so without incurring any penalty, and is at once absolved.
5. To set free, discharge (from, formerly of, obligations, liabilities).
1649. Milton, Eikonokl., 137. To be … his own Pope and to absolve himselfe of those ties.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. viii. 176. The Popes authority … had absolved them from all oaths which they had taken.
1862. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xii. 172. He also appealed to the Pope to be absolved from the obligations which he had contracted.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xii. 150. So many wrongs had at last absolved him from every duty of a vassal.
† 6. To clear up, solve, or resolve; to explain (i.e., to unloose the knot of doubt or difficulty). Obs.
1577. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep., 195. Some high mysterie, which if it be facil to demaund, is very difficil to absolue.
1590. Recorde, etc., Gr. of Arts (1646), 118. It maketh just 700 pounds, and so is the question truly absolved.
1612. Fletcher, Women Pleas’d, V. i. 43. If I absolve the words?
1667. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 195. The inventions, and phenomena already absolved, improved, or opened.
† 7. To clear off, discharge, acquit oneself of (a task, etc.); to perform completely, accomplish, finish. Obs.
1577. trans. Bullinger, Decades (1592), 194. In these fewe wordes are comprehended al that which profound Philosophers doe scarsely absolue in infinite bookes.
1619. T. Taylor, Titus, ii. 15. 538. Thus by the assistance of God, haue wee absolued this second Chapter.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel. (1676), II. ii. III. 160/2. Saturn in 30 years absolves his sole and proper motion.
1652. Gaule, Mag-astro-mancer, 144. ’Tis their own task; and, till they absolve it, they must give us leave to tell them.
1667. Milton, P. L., VII. 94. The work begun, how soon Absolved.
1718. Prior, Poems, 300. She conscious of the Grace, absolv’d her Trust, Not unrewarded.
1744. Akenside, Pleas. Imag., I. 194. Bend the reluctant planets to absolve The fated rounds of time.
a. 1801. E. Darwin, Zoonomia, III. 363. The frequent swallowing of weak broth … relieves the patient, and absolves the cure.
