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Webster 1913 Edition

Shrive

Shrive

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp.
Shrived
or
Shrove
;
p. p.
Shriven
or
Shrived
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Shriving
.]
[OE.
shriven
,
schriven
, AS.
scrīvan
to shrive, to impose penance or punishment; akin to OFries.
skrīva
to impose punishment; cf. OS. bi
skrīban
to be troubled. Cf.
Shrift
,
Shrovetide
.]
1.
To hear or receive the confession of; to administer confession and absolution to; – said of a priest as the agent.
That they should
shrive
their parishioners.
Piers Plowman.
Doubtless he
shrives
this woman, . . .
Else ne’er could he so long protract his speech.
Shakespeare
Till my guilty soul be
shriven
.
Longfellow.
2.
To confess, and receive absolution; – used reflexively.
Get you to the church and
shrive
yourself.
Beau. & Fl.

Shrive

,
Verb.
I.
To receive confessions, as a priest; to administer confession and absolution.
Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition

Shrive

SHRIVE

,
Verb.
T.
To hear or receive the confession of; to administer confession; as a priest.
He shrives this woman. Obs. Shak.

Definition 2024

shrive

shrive

English

Alternative forms

Verb

shrive ‎(third-person singular simple present shrives, present participle shriving, simple past shrived or shrove, past participle shrived or shriven)

  1. (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.
  2. (transitive) To prescribe penance or absolution.
  3. (intransitive or reflexive) To confess, and receive absolution.
    "Twas a good thought, boy, to come here and shrive", - The Croppy Boy, trad Irish song.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English shriven, schrifen, from Old English scrīfan, from late Proto-Germanic *skrībaną, a late 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

  • enPR: shrīv, IPA(key): /ˈʃɹaɪv/
  • Rhymes: -aɪv

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