penance

/'penəns/

Thân thiện

A pilgrim walks barefoot on a stony path as an act of penance.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Voluntary self-punishment for wrongdoing: An act of self-mortification or devotion performed to show sorrow for sin or wrongdoing and to seek atonement.
   • A sacrament in some Christian churches: In Roman Catholic and some other Christian traditions, a sacrament involving repentance, confession, and acts to make amends, leading to absolution.
   • An expression of regret or remorse: A feeling or demonstration of sincere regret for past misdeeds.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He performed acts of penance to seek forgiveness for his mistakes.
  • In the sacrament of penance, the believer confesses sins to a priest.
  • She felt deep penance for the harsh words she had spoken.

Advanced Usage

• "to do penance": To perform an act of self-punishment or devotion as an expression of repentance.
  • The pilgrim vowed to do penance by walking barefoot to the shrine.
• "as a penance": Serving as a punishment or act of atonement.
  • He was assigned community service as a penance for his offense.

Variants and Related Words

• Penitence (n): The state of being penitent; regret for one's wrongdoing.
  • His face showed genuine penitence.
• Penitential (adj): Relating to or expressing penitence or penance.
  • The season of Lent is a penitential period.
• Penitent (n/adj): (A person) feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong.
  • The penitent sinner sought reconciliation.

Synonyms

• Atonement: Making amends for a wrong or sin.
• Repentance: Sincere regret or remorse for one's wrongdoing.
• Contrition: The state of feeling remorseful and penitent.

Related Phrases

• "Penance and absolution": The process of atoning for sins and receiving formal forgiveness, especially in a sacramental context.
  • The doctrine emphasizes the cycle of penance and absolution.
• "Act of penance": A specific task or suffering undertaken to show repentance.
  • Fasting was his chosen act of penance.

Related Idioms

• "Wear a hair shirt": To lead an austere life as a form of penance or self-punishment. (This idiom conveys a similar concept of self-imposed hardship for atonement.)
  • After the scandal, he metaphorically wore a hair shirt, avoiding all luxury.

Học thuật

Noun

1. voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for some wrongdoing
2. a Catholic sacrament; repentance and confession and atonement and absolution
3. remorse for your past conduct

Từ đồng nghĩa

• self-mortification
• self-abasement
• repentance
• penitence