SHRIVE

shrive, absolve

(verb) grant remission of a sin to; “The priest absolved him and told him to say ten Hail Marys”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

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.)

(religion, transitive) To prescribe penance or absolution.

(religion, intransitive or reflexive) To confess, and receive absolution.

Anagrams

• Shiver, hivers, shiver

Source: Wiktionary

Shrive, v. t. [imp. Shrived or Shrove (; p. p. Shriven or Shrived; p. pr. & vb. n. Shriving.] Etym: [OE. shriven, schriven, AS. scrivan to shrive, to impose penance or punishment; akin to OFries. skriva to impose punishment; cf. OS. biskriban 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. Shak. 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, v. i.

Definition: To receive confessions, as a priest; to administer confession and absolution. Spenser.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition