Other forms: indulgences
Indulgence is letting yourself have what you want, or a pardon granted. A rare indulgence, beg your indulgence, the sale of indulgences.
The sale of indulgences — payments said to reduce punishment after death — was the immediate trigger of the Reformation. In ordinary use it means a treat allowed to yourself, and in formal speech begging somebody's indulgence means asking their patience.
1nounindulgenceLetting yourself have what you want.
“A hot bath and a bar of chocolate are my favourite indulgences after a long week.”
indulgence is an allowing.
inDULGence → in a DULL hour
A dull hour is when you let yourself have the cake you had said no to.
hooks ontodull
Latin indulgentia comes from indulgere, to be kind or yielding to somebody.
Latin
indulgentia
Middle French
indulgence
Middle English
indulgence
English, today
indulgence
From Middle English indulgence, indulgens, from Middle French indulgence and its source, Latin indulgentia.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA