Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To hear the confession of (a penitent) and grant absolution.
   • To impose penance upon and grant absolution to (a person).

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To make one's confession to a priest.
   • (Of a priest) To hear confessions.

Usage

• The verb "shrive" is used in a religious context, specifically within Christian sacramental practice. It is a formal and archaic term, most commonly encountered in historical or literary texts. The core action involves a priest listening to a person's confession, assigning a penance, and pronouncing God's forgiveness.
• The past tense is most commonly shrove (e.g., He shrove the penitent) or shrived. The past participle is shriven (e.g., He has been shriven) or shrived.

Examples

• Transitive verb:
  • The priest will shrive the knight before the battle.
  • In the medieval tale, the hermit shrove the dying man.
• Intransitive verb:
  • The villagers went to the chapel to shrive themselves.
  • It was the duty of the parish priest to shrive during Lent.

Advanced Usage

• "To shrive oneself": To confess one's sins, typically to a priest.
  • Before taking the vows, he sought to shrive himself of his past.
• "To be shriven": To have received absolution after confession.

Variants and Related Words

• Shrift (n): Archaic term for confession, especially to a priest, or the absolution given by a priest. Often seen in the phrase "short shrift" (originally meaning a brief confession time before execution, now meaning curt or dismissive treatment).
  • He gave my complaint short shrift.
• Shriver (n): An archaic term for a priest who hears confessions.

Synonyms

• Absolve: To set free from guilt or blame, especially by a formal declaration.
• Confess: To acknowledge or disclose one's sins or faults (Note: "confess" is the act of the penitent, while "shrive" is the act of the priest).
• Pardon: To forgive or release from penalty.

Phrasal Verbs / Related Constructions

• Shrive of: An archaic construction meaning to free or cleanse from (sin).
  • The sacrament shrives us of our guilt. (This usage is very rare and poetic.)

Related Idioms

• "Short shrift": Originally, a brief period for confession before punishment. In modern usage, it means to give someone very little attention or consideration; to deal with them quickly and dismissively.
  • The manager gave my proposal short shrift and moved on to the next agenda item.

Verb

1. grant remission of a sin to
   • The priest absolved him and told him to say ten Hail Mary's