shrive
English
Alternative forms
- shrieve (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English shryven, shriven, schrifen, from Old English sċrīfan, from late Proto-Germanic *skrībaną, a borrowing from Latin scrībō (“write”). Compare West Frisian skriuwe (“to write”), Low German schrieven (“to write”), Dutch schrijven (“to write”), German schreiben (“to write”), Danish skrive (“to write”), Swedish skriva (“to write”), Icelandic skrifa (“to write”). More at scribe.
Pronunciation
Verb
shrive (third-person singular simple present shrives, present participle shriving, simple past shrived or shrove, past participle shrived or shriven)
- (religion, transitive and intransitive) To hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.)
- c 1600, William Shakespeare, s:The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene III
- If he have the condition of a saint and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me than wive me.
- Shakespeare
- Doubtless he shrives this woman, […] / Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech.
- Longfellow
- Till my guilty soul be shriven.
- c 1600, William Shakespeare, s:The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene III
- (religion, transitive) To prescribe penance or absolution.
- (religion, intransitive or reflexive) To confess, and receive absolution.
- The Croppy Boy (traditional Irish song)
- 'Twas a good thought, boy, to come here and shrive.
- The Croppy Boy (traditional Irish song)
Derived terms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
hear or receive a confession
|
prescribe penance or absolution
confess — see confess
Anagrams
Middle English
Verb
shrive
- Alternative form of shryven
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