remission

Etymology 1

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”).

noun

1. A pardon of a sin; (chiefly historical, also figurative) the forgiveness of an offence, or relinquishment of a (legal) claim or a debt.
   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, […] 8 June 1543, Henry VIII of England, “The Nynthe Article. The Holy Catholike Churche.”, in A Necessary Doctrine and Erudicion for Any Chrysten Man, Set furth by the Kynges Maiestye of Englande, &c., imprinted at London: […] by Thomas Berthelet,[…], →OCLC
   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. 1617, Zacharias Ursinus, “Quest. 56. What Belieuest Thou Concerning Remission of Sinnes?”, in Henrie Parrie [i.e., Henry Parry], David Pareus, transl., The Svmme of Christian Religion, Deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinvs in His Lectures vpon the Catechisme, […] Translated into English[…], London: Imprinted by H. L. and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson,[…], →OCLC, section 6 (To Whom Remission of Sinnes is Giuen), page 614
   So then it is not the Power of preaching and baptizing, which is here given the Apoſtles, but as the Fathers interpret the Place, a peculiar Power of pronouncing, as God's deputed Judges, Pardon and Remiſſion to the Penitent, a Power of abſolving from Sins, in the Name of God, all ſuch as penitently confeſs unto them: […] 1712, Tho[mas] Brett, The Doctrine of Remission of Sins, and the Power of Absolution,[…], London: Printed for John Wyat,[…], →OCLC, pages 41–42
   And as to the remission of the interest of the debt of the Company, the right hon. gentleman knew, that public policy and expediency rendered a remission of the interests of all the debts due to the public equally necessary. 4 August 1784, William Pitt the Younger, “Debate in the Commons on the Bill for Settling the East India Company’s Dividends, &c.”, in William Cobbett], editor, The Parliamentary History of England, from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803. […], volume XXIV, London: Printed by T[homas] C[urson] Hansard,[…] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown; [et al.], published 1815, →OCLC, column 1327
   And it be further enacted, That if it shall appear to the comptroller that any payments of quit rents or certificates given for the remission of quit rent in pursuance of any former law of the state shall have been credited by mistake to the wrong patent or lot, […] it shall be the duty of the comptroller on discovering the same, to rectify all such mistakes […] 12 April 1813, “Chap. CXIX.—(R.L.): An Act Concerning Quit Rents.”, in William P[eter] Van Ness, John Woodworth, editors, Laws of the State of New-York, Revised and Passed at the Thirty-sixth Session of the Legislature, […] In Two Volumes, volume I, Albany, N.Y.: Printed and published by H. C. Southwick & Co.[…], →OCLC, section VIII, page 179
   The remission system ensures that access to justice is maintained for those individuals on lower incomes who would otherwise have difficulty paying a fee to use court or tribunal services. […] A fee remission is a full or partial fee waiver of the fees that become payable when an individual uses these services. 2013 April, “Background and Strategy”, in Fee Remissions for the Courts and Tribunals (Consultation Paper; CP15/2013; Cm 8608), London: Ministry of Justice, paragraph 1, page 6
2. A lessening of amount due, as in either money or work, or intensity of a thing.
   1. (law) A reduction or cancellation of the penalty for a criminal offence; in particular, the reduction of a prison sentence as a recognition of the prisoner's good behaviour.
      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. 1684, “314. The Trial of Robert Baillie, of Jerviswood, in Scotland, for High Treason: 36 Charles II. a.d. 1684”, in Cobbett’s Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason and Other Crimes and Misdemeanors from the Earliest Period to the Present Time, volumes X (A.D. 1680–1685), London: Printed by T[homas] C[urson] Hansard,[…]; for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Co.; [et al.], published 1811, →OCLC, column 693
      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. 24 February 1767, William Maxwell Morison, “[Proof.] Macharg against Campbell.”, in The Decisions of the Court of Session, from Its Institution until the Separation of the Court into Two Divisions in the Year 1808, Digested under Proper Heads, in the Form of a Dictionary.[…], volumes XXIX–XXX, Edinburgh: Printed for Archibald Constable and Company, published 1811, →OCLC, division III (Public Instrument, How Far Probative), section IV (Decrees, Acts of Court, &c.), case no. 429, page 12543
   2. (medicine) An abatement or lessening of the manifestations of a disease; a period where the symptoms of a disease are absent.
      Her cancer was in remission.
      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. 1791, Robert Jackson, “Of Prognostic in the Fevers of Jamaica”, in A Treatise on the Fevers of Jamaica, with Some Observations on the Intermitting Fever of America,[…], London: Printed for J[ohn] Murray,[…], →OCLC, page 182
      When Dr. Willis speaks of relapses, does he mean relapses after a cessation of the disorder, or after a remission of the disorder?—Certainly after a remission, his Majesty's disorder has never ceased. 20 December 1810, Robert Darling Willis (witness), “Report of the Committee Appointed to Examine the King’s George III’s] Physicians”, in T[homas] C[urson] Hansard, editor, Cobbett’s Parliamentary Debates […] (House of Lords), volume XVIII, London: Printed by T[homas] C[urson] Hansard,[…]; for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Browne; [et al.], published 1811, →OCLC, column 215
      Sometimes also slow fevers infest the body without any remission, so that there is no time afforded either for food or physic. 1840, Aul[us] Corn[elius] Celsus, “Book III”, in G. F. Collier, transl., A Translation of the Eight Books of Aul. Corn. Celsus on Medicine, 3rd revised and improved edition, London: Printed by A[braham] J[ohn] Valpy,[…]; sold by Longman & Co., Whittaker & Co., and Simpkin & Marshall, →OCLC, paragraph IX, page 92
      Yet again, in true general paralysis, remissions occur, and in these remissions most of the pupillary symptoms disappear, to return with the onset of fresh activity of the disease. 1902 July, T. P. Cowen, “Pupillary Symptoms in the Insane, and Their Import”, in Henry Rayner, A. R. Urquhart, Conolly Norman, editors, The Journal of Mental Science, volume XLVIII, number 166 (number 202 overall), London: J[ohn] & A[ugustus] Churchill,[…], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 506
      When lymphoma is being treated, the fundamental goals of chemotherapy are to introduce a complete and durable (>6 months) first remission (termed induction), to reinduce a remission when the disease recurs (or the patient experiences relapse) following remission (termed reinduction), and, finally, to induce remission when the cancer fails to respond to induction or reinduction therapy using drugs not included in the initial protocols (termed rescue). 2014, David M. Vail, “Rescue Therapy for Canine Lymphoma”, in John D. Bonagura, David C. Twedt, editors, Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy, volume XV, St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier Saunders, section IV (Oncology and Hematology), page 381, column 1
3. An act of remitting, returning, or sending back.
   1. (law) A referral of a case back to another (especially a lower or inferior) court of law; a remand, a remittal.
      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. 1953 October term, Silvio DeVita, Petitioner, vs. the State of New Jersey, Respondent. […] Brief for the State of New Jersey Oppositing Petition for Writ of Certiorari (Supreme Court of the United States; no. 429), Newark, N.J.: Arthur W. Cross, page 9
4. (spectroscopy) Reflection or scattering of light by a material; reemission.

Etymology 2

re- + mission

verb

1. (transitive) To change the mission of; to provide with a new mission.
   The Strykers have been remissioned, actually, to a mission of road security that actually takes advantage of the mobility that they provide. 2010, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Defense, Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011, page 32
   Their original mission was reestablished. That is what happens to people who will allow God to remission their lives through His blood cleansing them. 2014, Stella L. McNeer, He Is Able: God Is Our Only Hope in the Storms of Life