I.a sending back or away, releasing
I. Lit. (rare).
1. A sending back, returning; of persons: “obsidum captivorumque,” Liv. 27, 17, 1.—Of things, a throwing back, reflecting: “splendoris,” Vitr. 7, 3, 9.—
2. A letting down, lowering: “ex superciliorum aut remissione aut contractione,” Cic. Off. 1, 41, 146.—
II. Trop.
A. A slackening, relaxing, abating, diminishing, remitting; remission, relaxation, abatement (syn. relaxatio): “animus intentione suā depellit pressum omnem ponderum, remissione autem sic urgetur, ut se nequeat extollere,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 23, 54: “contentiones vocis et remissiones,” id. de Or. 1, 61, 261; cf. id. Brut. 91, 314; so, “vocis,” Quint. 1, 10, 25: σφυγμὸς est intentio motūs et remissio in corde et in arteria, Gell. 18, 10, 10: “remissio lenitatis quādam gravitate et contentione firmatur,” laxity, Cic. de Or. 2, 53, 212: “operis,” Varr. R. R. 1, 17, 7; cf. “laboris,” id. ib. 2, 6, 4; Quint. 3, 8, 29: “tales igitur amicitiae sunt remissione usus eluendae,” Cic. Lael. 21, 76: “senescentis morbi remissio,” id. Fam. 7, 26, 1; so, “febris,” Suet. Tib. 73: “doloris,” Scrib. Comp. 99.—
2. Slackness, laxness, want of spirit: “in acerbissimā injuriā remissio animi ac dissolutio,” Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 9.—
3. Relaxation, recreation: “ad omnem animi remissionem ludumque descendere,” Cic. de Or 2, 6, 22; so, “animorum,” id. Fam. 9, 24, 3; id. Arch. 7, 16.—Absol.: “quem non quies, non remissio, non aequalium studia, non ludi delectarent,” Cic. Cael. 17, 39: “danda est omnibus aliqua remissio,” Quint. 1, 3, 8.—Absol. in plur., Quint. 1, 3, 8, § 11; Gell. 15, 2, 5; Plin. Ep. 4, 3, 1, id. Pan. 49, 4: “tempora curarum remissionumque,” Tac. Agr. 9; id. Or. 28.—
4. Mildness, gentleness, lenity: “(Adversarius) tum ad severitatem, tum ad remissionem animi est contorquen dus,” Cic. de Or. 2, 17, 72 (cf. remissus, B. 1.): so, “remissione poenae,” by a relaxing, diminishing of punishment, by a milder punishment, id. Cat. 4, 6, 13.—
B. (Acc. to remitto, I. B. 2. b.) A remitting of a penalty, etc., a remission, Col. 1, 7, 1; Suet. Caes. 20; Plin. Ep. 8, 2, 6; 10, 8, 5: “remissio tributi in triennium,” Tac. A. 4, 13: “nuntiationis,” remission, abrogation, Dig. 39, 1, 8, § 4.— Plur.: “post magnas remissiones,” reduction of rent, Plin. Ep. 9, 37, 2.—
C. In eccl. Lat., remission, forgiveness of sin, etc.: “delicti,” Tert. adv. Marc. 4, 28: peccatorum, Ambros. de Isaac et Anim. 1, 1; Vulg. Matt. 26, 28; id. Act. 2, 38.— *