Reply #18: There's generally a difference between "forgive" and "forget." [View All]

Forgiveness is the mental and/or spiritual process of ceasing to feel resentment or anger against another person for a perceived offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution. Forgiveness may be considered simply in terms of the feelings of the person who forgives, or in terms of the relationship between the forgiver and the person forgiven. In some contexts, it may be granted without any expectation of compensation, and without any response on the part of the offender (for example, one may forgive a person who is dead). In practical terms, it may be necessary for the offender to offer some form of apology or restitution, or even just ask for forgiveness, in order for the wronged person to believe they are able to forgive.

1. to cease or fail to remember; be unable to recall: to forget someone's name.
2. to omit or neglect unintentionally: I forgot to shut the window before leaving.
3. to leave behind unintentionally; neglect to take: to forget one's keys.
4. to omit mentioning; leave unnoticed.
5. to fail to think of; take no note of.
6. to neglect willfully; disregard or slight.
7. to cease or omit to think of something.
8. forget oneself, to say or do something improper or unbefitting one's rank, position, or character.