different between sufferance vs forgiveness

English

Alternative forms

• sufferaunce (obsolete)

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman suffraunce, from Late Latin sufferentia.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s?f(?)??ns/

Noun

sufferance (countable and uncountable, plural sufferances)

1. (archaic) Endurance, especially patiently, of pain or adversity.
2. Acquiescence or tacit compliance with some circumstance, behavior, or instruction.
   • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

     Somewhiles by sufferance, and somewhiles by special leave and favour, they erected to themselves oratories.

   • 1910, Arthur Quiller-Couch, Lady Good-for-Nothing, chapter 20:

     When his talk trespasses beyond sufferance, I chastise him.

3. (archaic) Suffering; pain, misery.
4. (obsolete) Loss; damage; injury.
5. (Britain, historical) A permission granted by the customs authorities for the shipment of goods.

Related terms

• on sufferance

Synonyms

• acquiesce

References

English

Etymology

From Middle English forgiveness, forgifnes, from Old English for?ifnes, for?iefnes, for?iefennes (“forgiveness, remission, indulgence, permission”, literally “forgivenness”), equivalent to forgiven +? -ness. Cognate with Dutch vergiffenis.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /f????vn?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f????vn?s/
• Hyphenation: for?give?ness

Noun

forgiveness (usually uncountable, plural forgivenesses)

1. The action of forgiving.
   • 1931, Mahatma Gandhi, Young India

     The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

2. Readiness to forgive.

Synonyms

• (action of forgiving): remission
• (readiness to forgive): mercy

Translations

References

• forgiveness in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.