English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
verb

shrive

Shrive (verb) means to hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.).

verb
1
To hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.).
2
To free from guilt, to absolve.
3
To prescribe penance or absolution.
4
To confess, and receive absolution.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “shrive” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Etymology

From Middle English schryven, from Old English sċrīfan (“1. to decree, pass judgement, prescribe, 3. (of a priest) to prescribe penance or absolution”), from Proto-West Germanic *skrīban, from late Proto-Germanic *skrībaną, a borrowing from Latin scrībō (“write”). Compare West Frisian skriuwe (“to write”), Low German schrieven (“to write”), Dutch schrijven (“to write”), German schreiben (“to write”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk skrive (“to write”), Swedish skriva (“to write”), Icelandic skrifa (“to write”). More at scribe and scribble.

Rhymes for shrive

See all rhymes for shrive →

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of shrive?

"shrive" (verb) means to hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.).

What are the different meanings of shrive?

"shrive" has 3 main meanings: 1. To hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.); 2. To free from guilt, to absolve; 3. To prescribe penance or absolution.

Definitions from wiktionary, CC BY-SA · etymology from Wiktionary