The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Forgive \For*give"\, v. t. [imp. Forgave; p. p. Forgiven; p.
   pr. & vb. n. Forgiving] [OE. forgiven, foryiven, foryeven,
   AS. forgiefan, forgifan; perh. for- + giefan, gifan to give;
   cf. D. vergeven, G. vergeben, Icel. fyrirgefa, Sw. f?rgifva,
   Goth. fragiban to give, grant. See For-, and Give, v. t.]
   1. To give wholly; to make over without reservation; to
      resign.
      [1913 Webster]

            To them that list the world's gay shows I leave,
            And to great ones such folly do forgive. --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To give up resentment or claim to requital on account of
      (an offense or wrong); to remit the penalty of; to pardon;
      -- said in reference to the act forgiven.
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            And their sins should be forgiven them. --Mark iv.
                                                  12.
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            He forgive injures so readily that he might be said
            to invite them.                       --Macaulay.
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   3. To cease to feel resentment against, on account of wrong
      committed; to give up claim to requital from or
      retribution upon (an offender); to absolve; to pardon; --
      said of the person offending.
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            Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
            do.                                   --Luke xxiii.
                                                  34.
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            I as free forgive you, as I would be fforgiven.
                                                  --Shak.
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   Note: Sometimes both the person and the offense follow as
         objects of the verb, sometimes one and sometimes the
         other being the indirect object. "Forgive us our debts
         as we forgive our debtors." --Matt. vi. 12. "Be of good
         cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." --Matt. ix. 2.

   Syn: See excuse.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Forgiving \For*giv"ing\, a.
   Disposed to forgive; inclined to overlook offenses; mild;
   merciful; compassionate; placable; as, a forgiving temper. --
   For*giv"ing*ly, adv. -- For*giv"ing*ness, n. --J. C.
   Shairp.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

forgiving
    adj 1: inclined or able to forgive and show mercy; "a kindly
           forgiving nature"; "a forgiving embrace to the naughty
           child" [ant: unforgiving]
    2: providing absolution [syn: absolvitory, exonerative,
       forgiving]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

29 Moby Thesaurus words for "forgiving":
   accepting, benevolent, clement, compassionate, conciliatory, easy,
   easygoing, forbearant, forbearing, generous, gentle, humane, kind,
   lax, lenient, long-suffering, longanimous, magnanimous, merciful,
   mild, moderate, patient, placable, soft, sparing, tender, tolerant,
   unresentful, unrevengeful