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indulgence definition

in·dul·gence (in dul′jəns)

noun

  1. an indulging or being indulgent
  2. a thing indulged in
  3. the act of indulging oneself, or giving way to one's own desires
  4. a favor or privilege
  5. Business an extension of time to make payment on a bill or note, granted as a favor
  6. Eng. History the grant of certain religious liberties to Dissenters and Roman Catholics by Charles II and James II
  7. R.C.Ch. a partial or complete remission, under conditions specified by the Church, of divine temporal punishment that may otherwise still be due for sin committed but forgiven

Etymology: OFr < L indulgentia

transitive verb indulgenced -·genced, indulgencing -·genc·ing

R.C.Ch. to attach an indulgence to

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

indulgence Synonyms

indulgence

n.

  1. Humoring

    coddling, pampering, petting, overweening attention, fondling, babying, spoiling, placating, pleasing, toadying, favoring, kowtowing, gratifying, catering to.

  2. Forbearance

    allowance, lenience, toleration; see mercy 1, patience 1, tolerance 1.

  3. Revelry

    prodigality, dissipation, intemperance, drunkenness, overindulgence, luxury, waste, self-indulgence, hedonism, self-gratification, decadence, high living, la dolce vita (Italian), sybaritism, overdoing it*; see also greed, waste 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

indulgence Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • sell: Martin Luther was nailed to the church door for selling papal indulgences.

Adjective modifier

  • papal: Martin Luther was nailed to the church door for selling papal indulgences.
  • plenary: The Holy Father granted all World Youth Day participants a plenary indulgence.

Modifies a noun

  • range: To add to our extensive range of bouquets we have designed an Indulgence range of designer bouquets.

Noun used with modifier

  • self: A brief delve into self indulgence won't harm you.
indulgence usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

indulgence quotes

There is a mixture of evil in everything we do; indulgence encourages us to encroach, while we Crabbe exercise the rights of children, we become childish.

-Cowper,William

It's anindulgencetosit ina roomand discuss yourbeliefs as if they were a juicy piece of gossip.

-Hellman, Lillian Florence

So long as the law considers all these human beings, with beating heartsand living affections,onlyassomany things belonging tothemasteröso long asthefailure, or misfortune, or imprudence, or death of the kindest owner, may cause them any day to exchange a life of kind protection and indulgence for one of hopeless miseryand toilöso long is it impossible to make anything beautiful or desirable in the best-regulated administration of slavery.

-Stowe, Harriet (Elizabeth) ne¤  e Beecher

indulgence quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"indulgence." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/indulgence>

APA Style

indulgence. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/indulgence

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