Citations:gainbite

English citations of gainbite

2011, Arthur D Bardswell, The Poor Preachers:
'It were a tale of a wastrel son as did spend o' his father's liven, but found his gainbite in the swine's wallowings – or such.
2009, Georgette Heyer, My Lord John:
Saving only your anger, Harry, I've no gainbite at my heart – and your anger I knew I should win me!

Yet you say to me that you feel no gainbite? Was it so small a thing to do? So easy a thing?
2006, Charles Mackay, The Lost Beauties of the English Language:
Gainbite, biting back again ; ie, remorse. This word is still current in some parts of England; the original form was 'ayenbite', or again bite. Mr. Halliwell quotes in his Archaic Dictionary; the 'Ayenbite of Inwit'; or 'Remorse of Conscience'.

1866, Kent Archaeological Society, Archaeologia cantiana:
[…] Ayenbite signifying againbiting, or remorse […]
1899, Adams Sherman Hill, The principles of rhetoric:
[...] there can be no doubt that conscience is better than inwit, and remorse than again-bite.