Word: remission Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English remissioun (“release from duty; freeing of captives; mercy, pardon, respite; forgiveness; release from or reduction of penances; reduction in intensity (of a quality, symptom, etc.); transfer of property, quitclaim; legal opinion or submission; reference, cross-reference”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman remission, remissione, remissioun, remissiun and Middle French, Old French remission (“forgiveness of sin; pardoning of an offence; postponement; cessation, suspension; diminishing or weakening of something; reduction of debt; reduction in intensity of a disease or symptom”) (modern French rémission), and their etymon Late Latin remissiō (“forgiveness; pardon of sins”), Latin remissiō (“release; sending back; easing off, relaxing, softening; reduction of debt; reduction in intensity of a disease or symptom”), from remittō (“to remit, send back; to diminish; to relax; to do without, forego”) + -siō. Remittō is derived from re- (prefix meaning ‘back, backwards’) + mittō (“to cause to go; to send; to discharge, emit, let go, release; to throw; to extend, reach out; to announce, tell; to produce, yield; to attend, escort, guide; to dismiss, disregard; to end”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- (“to change, exchange; to change places, go past”) or *(s)meyt- (“to throw”)). The English word is cognate with Catalan remissió, Italian remissioni, remissione (“remission; withdrawal of legal action; compliance, submission”), Old Occitan remessió, Portuguese remisson, remissão (“pardon; remission”), Spanish remisión (“remission”). Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈmɪʃ(ə)n/, /ɹəˈmɪʃ(ə)n/ 1. A pardon of a sin; (chiefly historical, also figuratively) the forgiveness of an offence, or relinquishment of a (legal) claim or a debt. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Moreouer the perfit beleue of this article, worketh in all true chriſten people, aloue to continue in this vnitie, and afeare to be caſte out of the ſame, and it worketh in them that be ſinners and repentant, great comforte, and conſolacion, to obteine remiſſion of ſinne, by vertue of Chriſtes paſſion, and adminiſtracion of his ſacramentes at the miniſters handes, ordained for that purpoſe, […] Example: Remiſsion of ſins is giuen to all the elect, and them alone, becauſe it is giuen to them all and alone who beleeue; and none beleeue, but the elect onely; for the reprobate neuer haue true faith and beleefe: therefore they neuer obtaine remiſsion of their ſinnes. 2. A lessening of amount due, as in either money or work, or intensity of a thing. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Preceptors have all aſſented to this one principle,—that diſcipline , and amuſement ſhould alternately ſucceed each other. […] You may relax your care, but the youthful mind will be full occupied, and more earneſtly buſied in the career of voluntary play, than on any impoſed taſk. During the remiſſions of ſchool the mind is only tranſferred from one object to another: […] Example: His objection, at an early period of the session, to the motion of the hon. member for Wareham, besides the general objection at that time to the remission of any taxes, was, that it would throw the trade into confusion by a partial remission. The remission he had now to propose was to a much greater extent. 3. A lessening of amount due, as in either money or work, or intensity of a thing. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: That Mr. Carstairs answer all interrogatories that shall be put to him, betwixt and the first of October next, upon his great oath. That which being done, he shall have his majesty's full pardon and remission, for his life, limb, estate, and fame. Example: At common law, the criminal was bound to assyth the party whom he had injured; no special statute was necessary to establish a point received and understood; but a doubt might be entertained, how far crimes were not entirely abolished by a remission, so as not only to stop the punishment of the law, but to exclude the claim of damages. To obviate this doubt was the intention of these various statutes, which provide that assythment shall be due, notwithstanding a remission. 4. A lessening of amount due, as in either money or work, or intensity of a thing. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Her cancer was in remission. Example: It was always dangerous, though perhaps leſs ſo, than other ſymptoms which was leſs alarming, particularly if it ſuffered increaſe and diminution with the paroxyſms and remiſſions of the diſeaſe. 5. An act of remitting, returning, or sending back. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. An act of remitting, returning, or sending back. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: It was held by the Court of Errors and Appeals that the remission of the case to the trial court for clarification of the verdict was justified, and that the record, as corrected, clearly indicated that the recommendation of life imprisonment should apply only to Rannelli and not to Merra. 7. Reflection or back-scattering of light by a material; (to send back) Labels: countable, uncountable