shrive
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
Old English scrīfan, from West Germanic *skrībanan, from Latin scrībō (“write”). Cognate from Germanic with Dutch schrijven, German schreiben; and from Latin with French écrire, Spanish escribir.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Verb
shrive (third-person singular simple present shrives, present participle shriving, simple past shrove, past participle shriven)
- (transitive and intransitive) To hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.)
- (transitive) To prescribe penance or absolution
- (intransitive or reflexive) To confess, and receive absolution
- "Twas a good thought, boy, to come here and shrive", - The Croppy Boy, trad Irish song.
[edit] Alternative forms
- shrieve (obsolete)
