reuen

Meaning

1. (weak) to regret, to be sorry (for), to rue
2. (weak) to repent (of)

Synonyms

bereuen

in Sack und Asche gehen

Schuld bewusst sein

Reue zeigen

im Büßerhemd gehen

Asche auf sein Haupt streuen

leidtun

Asche aufs Haupt streuen

im Büßergewand herumlaufen

Dialects

Basel-Landschaft

reie

Data provided by: Deutsch-Schweizerdeutsches Wörterbuch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈʁɔʏ̯ən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle High German:

Inherited from Old High German:

Cognate with English: rue

In summary

From a merger of:
* Middle High German riuwen (strong declension), from Old High German riuwan, hriuwan, from Proto-West Germanic *hreuwan, from Proto-Germanic *hrewwaną; and
* Middle High German riuwen (weak declension), itself a merger from Old High German riuwēn, from Proto-West Germanic *hriuwjan, from Proto-Germanic *hriuwjan; and Old High German riuwōn, hriuwōn, from Proto-West Germanic *hreuwōn, from *hreuwu (“regret, penance”).
Both paths derive from the same origin. Cognates include Dutch rouwen, English rue, Old Norse hryggva,