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Confess vs Shrive - What's the difference?

confess | shrive |

As verbs the difference between confess and shrive

is that confess is (to admit to the truth) To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed while shrive is to hear or receive a confession (of sins etc..

confess

English

Verb

(es)
  • (senseid) To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.
    • People confess to anything under torture.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I never gave it him. Send for him hither, / And let him confess a truth.
  • * Milton
    • And there confess / Humbly our faults, and pardon beg.
  • * Addison
    • I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned.
  • To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
  • * Bible, Matthew x. 32
    • Whosoever, therefore, shall confess' me before men, him will I ' confess , also, before my Father which is in heaven.
  • * Bible, Acts xxiii. 8
    • For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
  • (religion) To unburden (oneself) of sins to a priest, in order to receive absolution.
  • * Addison
    • Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father.
  • (religion) To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
  • * Ld. Berners
    • He heard mass, and the prince, his son, with him, and the most part of his company were confessed .
  • (senseid) To disclose or reveal.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mould.

    Related terms

    * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Derived terms

    * (l), (l)

    See also

    * own up * come clean

    shrive

    English

    Alternative forms

    * shrieve (obsolete)

    Verb

  • (transitive, and, intransitive) To hear or receive a confession (of sins etc.)
  • * Shakespeare
    • Doubtless he shrives this woman, / Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech.
  • * Longfellow
    • Till my guilty soul be shriven .
  • To prescribe penance or absolution.
  • (intransitive, or, reflexive) To confess, and receive absolution.
    • "Twas a good thought, boy, to come here and'' ''shrive ", - The Croppy Boy, trad Irish song.

    Derived terms

    * shrove * Shrovetide * Shrove Monday * Shrove Sunday * Shrove Tuesday

    Related terms

    * scribe * shrift

    Anagrams

    * English irregular verbs