Exoneration from accusation, blame, or censure; exculpation, acquittal; pardon. Also: an instance of this. Now rare.

The action of cleanse, v. in its various senses; cleaning, purification, acquittal.

transitive. An act of releasing from a charge or accusation. Cf. aggravate, v. 3a.

The action of clear, v., in various senses: brightening; clarifying; elucidation; exculpation, etc.

The action or condition of absolution from sin, guilt, censure, or accusation.

With adverbs away, off, out, up (often hyphenated): see quots. and senses of wash, v.

exculpation.

The action or an act of absolving from blame; exoneration, exculpation.

The action or fact of clearing one's name; exculpation.

The action of exculpating or clearing from blame, or from an alleged crime; an instance of this; a ground or means of exculpating; an excuse or a…

The action of concealing faults or errors, or of providing an appearance of honesty, respectability, rectitude, etc. Cf. whitewash, v. 3a.

The action of purging from imputed guilt; clearing; exculpation; after Latin expurgatio. archaic.