remission
(rɪˈmɪʃən)
Also 4 remis(s)iun, 4–6 remissioun, -yssio(u)n, 5–6 -issyon, -ys(s)yon, etc.
[a. OF. remission, ad. L. remissiōn-em, n. of action f. remittĕre to remit. The order in which the senses appear in English differs widely from their natural development: cf. the note to remit v.]
1. Forgiveness or pardon of sins (cf. 2) or other offences.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 346 In remission, & in uorȝiuenesse of alle þine sunnen. a 1300 Cursor M. 20048 Þai sal haue..crist aun beniscun, And o þair sin remisiun. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 11 And Joon cam..preching þe baptism of penaunce in remission of synnes. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 7 Of myn old and newe transgressyoun That I may haue a plener remyssyoun. 1483 Caxton Cato 5 Of the sacryfyse that thauncyentes made to god for to haue remyssion of theyr synnes. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 4 If he repent of his owne accorde, and desyre remission of his offence. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxviii. 245 In..Scripture, Remission of Sinne, and Salvation from Death and Misery, is the same thing. 1788 Gibbon Decl. & F. xlix. V. 123 The gift which he had conferred on the Roman pontiff for the remission of his sins. 1846 Browning Lett. (1899) II. 212 As naughty children punished by mistake are promised a remission of next offence. 1884 Catholic Dict. (1885) 5/1 Absolution from Sin is a remission of sin which the priest..makes in the Sacrament of Penance. |
2. (Without
of.) Forgiveness or pardon granted for sins or offences against divine law; the cancelling of, or deliverance from, the guilt and penalties of sin;
† also, power of obtaining such pardon.
| c 1325 Chron. Eng. 634 in Ritson Metr. Rom. II. 296 The spere That Charlemayne was wonet to bere To-fore the holy legioun, That is of gret remissioun. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 277 A robbere hadde remission raþere þanne þei alle. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 239 O blissed Jhesu! do remissioun To alle that axe mercy on ther kne! 1500–20 Dunbar Poems viii. 28 Pray now for him..Unto the Lord..To gif him mercie and remissioun. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 174 Remember..how he sweat water and bloud for thy remission. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. (1634) 250 Ingratitude and rebellion after his so many benefits, so many remissions, so many miracles wrought. 1685 Baxter Paraphr. N.T. Acts ii. 39 The Messiah with his Grace of Remission, and the Spirit, is promised. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. (1841) I. 25 He gives repentance and remission. |
b. Pardon for a political, legal, or other offence. Now only
Hist.| 1429 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 145 Be rightful juge,..Thy right ay sugre with remyssioun. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 4093 But doubt, ȝe salbe hangit, But mercie or remissioun. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 863 Sir Thomas Broughton..was at hande..vtterly dispairing of pardon and remission. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. i. ii. 65 My pennance is, to call Lucetta backe And aske remission, for my folly past. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage viii. xii. 671 If any were found dishonest, they were put to death without remission. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 95 Whosoever are taken stealing of Mastick, are without remission sent to the Galleys. 1864 Kirk Chas. Bold I. viii. 376 They entreated, therefore, that letters of remission might be granted to them for this fault. |
† c. Sc. With
a and
pl. A formal pardon; a document conveying this.
Obs.| 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 52 That all maner of man, that had bene before tyme banist out of Rome, suld cum agayne, and thai suld..have remissiounes. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 1132, I dreid, without ȝe get ane remissioun,..The spirtuall stait sall put ȝow to perditioun. 1546 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 34 The remissioun grantit to the Capitane of Dumbertane, and all his complices..sall presentlie be past throw the signet. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 158 Gif he quha is accused, alledges ane remission, he sall produce the samine in judgement. |
† d. An inclination towards pardon.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. v. i. 503, I finde an apt remission in my selfe; And yet heere's one..I cannot pardon. |
† 3. a. Release from a debt or payment.
Obs.| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vii. 83 To ha Reles and Remission on þat Rental I be-leeue. 1382 Wyclif Deut. xv. 1 To whom is owed eny thing,..he shal not mowe aȝen aske it, for ȝeer of remyssioun of the Lord it is. 1607 Shakes. Cor. v. ii. 90 Though I owe My Reuenge properly, my remission lies In Volcean brests. 1608 Willet Hexapla Exod. 838 They..only went vp..in the seuenth yeare of remission twice. |
† b. Release, liberation, deliverance, from captivity, etc.; respite.
Obs.| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) II. 291 From whiche victory of Abraham, somme men say the yere of Iubile to haue taken originalle, for that remission of captif men. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Luke iv. 19 To preach to the captives remission,..to dimisse the bruised unto remission. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. i. iii. (1636) 162 For remission of soules the Patriarch graunts no Indulgences. 1761 Goldsm. Misc. Wks. (1837) I. 471 Some remission from the war gave them leisure to form schemes of future prosperity. |
† c. Release from work or exertion.
Obs. rare.
| 1382 Wyclif 1 Macc. x. 34 Alle solempne days..be alle dais of ynmunite..and of remissioun, to alle Jewis that ben in my rewme. ― 2 Cor. viii. 13 Forsoth not that it be remyssioun, or slouthe, to othere,..to ȝou tribulacioun. |
4. The action of remitting or giving up partially or wholly:
a. of a debt, tax, etc.
| 1382 Wyclif Prol. Bible iii. 6 Also in the vij. ȝeer shal be remissioun of dette to citeseynes and kynnesmen. a 1719 Addison (J.), Not only an expedition, but the remission of a duty or tax, were transmitted to posterity after this manner. 1841 Elphinstone Hist. Ind. II. 491 His remissions [of taxes], as far as they were carried into effect, were productive of great inequality. 1884 Law Rep. 9 App. Cases 624 He does not ask for any remission of any portion of his obligation. |
b. of a penalty or punishment. Also
attrib.| 1736 Butler Anal. i. iii. Wks. 1874 I. 58 Circumstances of aggravated guilt prevent a remission of the penalties. 1741 Betterton Eng. Stage ii. 51 Queen Mary..immediately granted..a Remission of her Father's Execution for that of Transportation. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xxvi, The consequence of this confession was a remission of punishment. 1861 Pearson Early & Mid. Ages Eng. 177 This was an illegal remission of an important part of the penalty. 1884 Catholic Dict. 442/1 The indulgence..was no mere remission of canonical penance. 1893 Daily News 9 Mar. 6/7 He [a convict] was punished by the forfeiture of remission marks. |
† c. Law = remise n.1 1.
Obs. rare—1.
| c 1450 Godstow Reg. (E.E.T.S.) 100 He remytted to them and quyte-claymed... And for þis knowlechyng, remission, fyne, and accorde [etc.]. |
† 5. Relaxation; lessening of tension; slackening of energy or application.
Obs.| 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 112 As too much bending breaketh the bowe, so too much remission spoyleth the minde. 1580 Ibid. 383 As the Musitians tune their strings, who..either by intention or remission, frame them to a pleasant consent. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World v. iii. §18. 474 Such accompt of winnings past, is commonly in Gamesters that are at the height of their fortune, a cause of remission and carelessnesse. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 22 Among the manifold remissions of our minde, among our idle hopes,..these Images do follow us..close. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. xix. §4 This difference of intention and remission of the mind in thinking..every one.. has experimented in himself. 1741 Middleton Cicero I. i. 41, I used to speak without any remission or variation. |
† b. Lowering or humbling (of mind).
Obs. rare.
| a 1628 F. Grevil Sidney (1652) 35 This is that true remission of mind, whereof I would gladly have the world take notice. Ibid. 159 So far was his true remission of mind transformed into ejulation. |
6. Diminution of force or effect; lowering or decrease of a condition or quality,
esp. of heat or cold. (
Cf. intension 3.)
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 69 Morall vertue..tempereth the remission and intention, and..taketh away the excesse and defect of the passions. 1625 N. Carpenter Geog. Del. i. x. (1635) 224 They haue extreame cold Winters, and in stead of Summer a small remission of cold. 1642 Howell For. Trav. (Arb.) 35 For then when the heate beginneth in Spaine, the violence thereof lasteth a long time without intension, or remission, or any considerable change. 1696 Bp. Patrick Comm. Exod. xix. 16 When their trembling was abated, by the Remission..of the Sound of the Trumpet. 1784 Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 9 Feb., The remission of the cold did not continue long enough to afford me much relief. 1795–1814 Wordsw. Excurs. ii. 799 Darkness fell Without remission of the blast or shower. 1879 St. George's Hosp. Rep. IX. 14 Marked morning remissions of temperature. 1897 Singer & Berens Unrecog. Laws Nat. 390 The fundamental belief that gravity admits of neither intension nor remission. |
b. Path. A decrease or subsidence (
esp. a temporary one) in the violence of a disease or pain: also
transf. of violent emotions.
| 1685 tr. Willis' Lond. Pract. Physick 549 A Continual Fever..has its times of remission and exacerbation, but none of intermission. 1741–3 Wesley Extract of Jrnl. (1749) 19, I had a clear remission in the morning: but about two in the afternoon, a stronger fit than any before. a 1776 R. James Diss. Fevers (1778) 57 In the very worst cases, if it does not effect a cure itself, it generally brings on a remission. 1797 M. Baillie Morb. Anat. (1807) 59 Empyema may be distinguished..by rigors having taken place, by a remission of the pain [etc.]. 1849 Macaulay Hist Eng. ii. I. 188 It is the law of our nature that such fits of excitement shall always be followed by remissions. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 297 One very marked character..is the tendency of the symptoms to periodicity, remission and relapse. |
| attrib. 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. II. 407 This will furnish..nourishment during the febrile and remission periods. |
† c. Gram. (See
quot.)
Obs. rare.
| 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) VIII. 90 Adverbs of intension and remission, or of quantity continuous; as moderately, vastly, exceedingly, &c. |
7. The action of remitting or sending (back), in various senses; a remittal.
rare.
| 1724 Swift Conc. Weavers Wks. 1841 II. 85/1 The remission of a million every year to England. 1741–2 Stackhouse Hist. Bible iii. i, The Poets' Fiction of the Loss of Eurydice, and her Remission into Hell. 1883 Law Rep. 8 Probate Div. 194 A remission under the seal of Her Majesty's Court of Appeals..commanding the Official Principal..to resume the cause into his hands. |