shrive

Meaning

1. (intransitive, transitive) To hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.).
2. (transitive) To free from guilt, to absolve.
3. (transitive) To prescribe penance or absolution.
4. (intransitive, reflexive) To confess, and receive absolution.

Synonyms

confess

absolve

ordain

Translations

confesser

absoudre

εξομολογούμαι

εξομολογώ

assolvere

confessare

absolver

confesar

إعترف

itirafını dinleyip affetmek

beichten

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈʃɹaɪv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: shryven

Inherited from Old English: sċrīfan

Cognate with Western Frisian: skriuwe

Cognate with Low German: schrieven

Cognate with Dutch: schrijven

Cognate with German: schreiben

Cognate with Danish: skrive

Cognate with Swedish: skriva

Cognate with Icelandic: skrifa

In summary

From Middle English shryven, shriven, schrifen, 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 skrive (“to write”), Swedish skriva (“to write”), Icelandic skrifa (“to write”). More at scribe and scribble.