shrift

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English shrift (“confession to a priest; act or instance of this; sacrament of penance; penance assigned by a priest; penitence, repentance; punishment for sin”) [and other forms], from Old English sċrift (“penance, shrift; something prescribed as punishment, penalty; one who passes sentence, a judge”), from sċrīfan (“of a priest: to prescribe absolution or penance; to pass judgment, ordain, prescribe; to appoint, decree”) (whence shrive), from Proto-Germanic *skrībaną (“to write”), from Latin scrībō (“to write”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- (“to scratch, tear”). Equivalent to shrive +‎ -t. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /ʃɹɪft/ Rhymes: -ɪft === Noun === shrift (countable and uncountable, plural shrifts) The act of going to or hearing a religious confession. Confession to a priest. (obsolete) Forgiveness given by a priest after confession; remission. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== shrive ==== Translations ==== === References === === Anagrams === Firths, firths, friths