SHRIVING

Etymology

Verb

shriving

present participle of shrive

Noun

shriving (plural shrivings)

The hearing of a confession of sins.

Source: Wiktionary


Shriv"ing, n.

Definition: Shrift; confession. Spenser.

SHRIVE

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



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Word of the Day

4 April 2025

GUILLOTINE

(verb) kill by cutting the head off with a guillotine; “The French guillotined many Vietnamese while they occupied the country”


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the most massive cup of coffee contained 22,739.14 liters and was created by Alcaldía Municipal de Chinchiná (Colombia) at Parque de Bolívar, Chinchiná, Caldas, Colombia, on 15 June 2019. Fifty people worked for more than a month to build this giant cup. The drink prepared was Arabic coffee.

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