Shrive

Pronunciation: /ʃraɪv/

Definitions of shrive

verb to hear the confession of, assign penance to, and absolve (someone)

Example Sentences

A1 The priest will shrive you of your sins during confession.

A2 In some cultures, people still seek out a priest to shrive them before important events.

B1 After a long period of reflection, he decided to shrive himself of guilt by confessing his actions.

B2 The act of shriving oneself can be a cathartic experience, leading to a sense of renewal and forgiveness.

C1 The practice of shriving has deep historical roots in many religious traditions, serving as a form of spiritual cleansing.

C2 The process of shriving involves a deep examination of one's conscience and a sincere desire for repentance and absolution.

Examples of shrive in a Sentence

formal The priest was called upon to shrive the dying man before he passed away.

informal I need to shrive my sins before Sunday's church service.

slang I'm going to shrive myself before heading out to the party.

figurative She felt the need to shrive herself of guilt before moving on with her life.

Grammatical Forms of shrive

• past tense: shrived
• plural: shrives
• comparative: more shrive
• superlative: most shrive
• present tense: shrive
• future tense: will shrive
• perfect tense: have shriven
• continuous tense: is shriving
• singular: shrive
• positive degree: shrive
• infinitive: to shrive
• gerund: shriving
• participle: shriven

Origin and Evolution of shrive

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'shrive' originated from Old English 'scrīfan' meaning to impose penance or absolve from sin.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'shrive' has evolved to include the act of confessing sins and receiving absolution from a priest during the sacrament of reconciliation.