Condoning is a concept with a ususal present meaning to allow or overlook something.

Its meaning is tied to its association with the legal defense of condonation. That defense, now generally obsolete, was primarily used in divorce cases where fault was an element. For example, a spouse who had been unfaithful would be able to plead condonation as a bar to divorce if their husband or wife expressly or impliedly forgave their unfaithful actions with an implied condition that the unfaithfulness would not be repeated. The elements of the defense included knowledge of the marital misconduct and forgiveness of the marital misconduct. A legal finding of condonance may be made when an accuser has previously forgiven or condoned the act about which they are complaining. ...

Usage now can be classified into two general categories: the passive, including overlooking, turning a blind eye, forgiving or treating as trivial or unimportant; and the affirmative, including accepting, permitting, approving or rubber stamping. Passive has several meanings: In grammar it describes a grammatical voice. ... In common usage positive is sometimes used in affirmation, as a synonym for yes or to express certainty. Look up Positive in Wiktionary, the free dictionary In mathematics, a number is called positive if it is bigger than zero. ...

Confusion with forgiveness

Many dictionaries list forgive as a synonym of condone.[1][2][3][4][5] However the majority do not list condone as a synonym of forgive.[6][7][8] Those that did contained a disclaimer indicating that forgiveness in such a situation would be “tacit”.[9][10] Current articles on forgiveness uniformly state that forgiveness does not mean condone. The following links are to examples.[11][12][13] Forgiveness is a choice the forgiver makes to let go of resentment held in the forgivers mind of a perceived wrong or difference, either actual or imagined. ...

The confusion likely stems from the legal derivation of condone (condonation), which essentially meant a “legal” forgiveness or pardon. The critical difference between the concepts of condoning and forgiveness is whether resentment is released. Definitions of forgiveness generally list a release of resentment as a primary definition. Definitions of condone never discuss release of resentment as a consideration. Resentment is an emotion, from ressentiment, a French word, meaning malice, anger, being rancorous. The English word has the sense of feeling bitter. ...

Certainly one could “legally forgive” someone, but not release resentment. In fact, as condonation was a bar to divorce in some circumstances, it would in fact likely cause resentment. For example, if under previous laws a wife wanted a divorce because of her husband’s infidelity, but he successfully defended the action because she continued to have relations with him, she would likely resent a court determination that she condoned his behavior. Under such circumstances, if someone said: “Jane condoned Jim’s indiscretions” it would not imply true forgiveness.

As the legal defense of condone has become obsolete with the prevalence of no-fault divorce, its meaning seems to be shifting. For example: “Jane condoned her husband’s indiscretions.” Would now likely be seen as “accepting” and may even leave one wondering if Jane “approved” his actions. A less emotionally charged topic highlights the ambiguity that has crept into the usage of condone. Consider: “John’s parents condoned serving beer at his eighteenth birthday party, even though the legal limit at the time was twenty-one.” This sentence could mean: 1) forgave after the fact; 2) looked the other way; 3) accepted with knowledge; or 4) actively approved.

One should take care in using the word “condone” to create a precise context so that the intended meaning is clear.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Latin condonare, meaning to give or forgive or refrain from punishment as a favor and from the French donare meaning to donate.