hair shirt
Coarse mortification vestment
A hair shirt is a garment made of coarse animal hair, traditionally worn against the skin as a form of religious penance or self-mortification.
The discomfort served as a constant reminder of spiritual discipline.
Figuratively, a hair shirt is any self-imposed burden or source of guilt: Refusing the promotion became his hair shirt—he never stopped punishing himself for it.
Coarse fabric for penance
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- mortificationIntense shame or embarrassment
- self-flagellationDeliberately striking one's own body
contrition · repentance · fasting · self-denial · absolution · expiation · confession · remorse
Cloistered religious devotee
- monasteryReligious seclusion dwelling
- hermitPerson choosing total seclusion
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
renunciation · austerity · monasticism · spartan · friar · anchorite · vow · simplicity
sackcloth
Coarse fabric for penance
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- mortificationIntense shame or embarrassment
self-flagellation · contrition · repentance · fasting · self-denial · absolution · expiation · confession · remorse · pilgrimage
monk
Cloistered religious devotee
- monasteryReligious seclusion dwelling
- hermitPerson choosing total seclusion
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
abstinence · renunciation · austerity · monasticism · spartan · friar · anchorite · vow · simplicity · discipline
itchy
Provoking scratching urges
prickly · rough · abrasive · irritating · uncomfortable · stiff · harsh · woven · bristly · grating
- asceticismabstinence, celibacy, ascetic, austerities, chastity
- Penanceconfession booth, act of contrition, contrition, penitent, public penance
- penance symbolssackcloth, ashes, kneeling, prostration, confession booth
- penitential devicesscourge, flagellum, sackcloth, knotted cord, chain belt
- religious sufferingmortification, flagellation, self-flagellation, crown of thorns, crucifixion
- abstinencesobriety, celibacy, chastity, teetotalism, fasting
hair shirtsilk robe
Loose garment of fine fabric
cashmere sweater · velvet gown · satin pajamas · fleece · loungewear
hair shirtfinery
Elegant, showy clothing
luxury goods · indulgence · ermine robes · hedonism · pleasure-seeking
hair shirtself-indulgence
Excessive yielding to desires
self-forgiveness · hedonism · sybaritism · epicureanism · self-gratification
hair, shirt, hairs, undershirt, haired, hirsute, nightshirt, shirting, hairiness