grant remission of a sin to; "The priest absolved him and told him to say ten Hail Mary's
If a report or investigation absolves someone from blame or responsibility, it formally states that he or she is not guilty or is not to blame. A police investigation yesterday absolved the police of all blame in the incident. the inquiry which absolved the soldiers. = excuse
To set free, or release, as from some obligation, debt, or responsibility, or from the consequences of guilt or such ties as it would be sin or guilt to violate; to pronounce free; as, to absolve a subject from his allegiance; to absolve an offender, which amounts to an acquittal and remission of his punishment