indulgence
indulgent allowance or tolerance.
a catering to someone's mood or whim; humoring: The sick man demanded indulgence as his due.
something indulged in: Her favorite indulgence was candy.
Roman Catholic Church. a partial remission of the temporal punishment, especially purgatorial atonement, that is still due for a sin or sins after absolution.: Compare plenary indulgence.
English and Scottish History. (in the reigns of Charles II and James II) a grant by the king to Protestant dissenters and Roman Catholics freeing them from certain penalties imposed, by legislation, because of their religion.
Commerce. an extension, through favor, of time for payment or performance.
Roman Catholic Church. to provide with an indulgence: an indulgenced pilgrimage to Rome.
Origin of indulgence
1Other words for indulgence
Other words from indulgence
- non·in·dul·gence, noun
- pre·in·dul·gence, noun
- re·in·dul·gence, noun
- su·per·in·dul·gence, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use indulgence in a sentence
Indulgenced prayers are prayers to the recital of which is attached by the Church the grant of indulgences.
British Dictionary definitions for indulgence
/ (ɪnˈdʌldʒəns) /
the act of indulging or state of being indulgent
a pleasure, habit, etc, indulged in; extravagance: fur coats are an indulgence
liberal or tolerant treatment
something granted as a favour or privilege
RC Church a remission of the temporal punishment for sin after its guilt has been forgiven
commerce an extension of time granted as a favour for payment of a debt or as fulfilment of some other obligation
Also called: Declaration of Indulgence a royal grant during the reigns of Charles II and James II of England giving Nonconformists and Roman Catholics a measure of religious freedom
RC Church to designate as providing indulgence: indulgenced prayers
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for indulgence
In the Roman Catholic Church, a declaration by church authorities that those who say certain prayers or do good deeds will have some or all of their punishment in purgatory remitted.
Notes for indulgence
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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