shrift
Penance after confession
Shrift is confession to a priest, or the absolution received after confession.
The word survives almost exclusively in the phrase short shrift, which originally meant barely enough time to confess before execution.
Now short shrift means dismissive or cursory treatment: The committee gave short shrift to our proposal.
Entry or confession
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- unburdeningRelieving oneself of weight
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
acknowledgment · contrition · secrets · truth · divulgence · confessional · penitent · priest
Compensation for wrongdoing
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
repentance · mortification · fasting · prayer · satisfaction · assigned · prescribed · acts
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- remissionTemporary disease absence
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
blessing · reconciliation · cleansing · rite · pronouncement · priest · formula · words
Of limited extent
- briefShort in duration
- cursoryHasty and incomplete
- quickMoving with speed
- hastyExcessively quick, ill-considered
dismissive · perfunctory · scant · inadequate · insufficient · summary · rushed · fleeting
admission
Entry or confession
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- unburdeningRelieving oneself of weight
testimony · acknowledgment · contrition · secrets · truth · divulgence · confessional · penitent · priest · sacrament
atonement
Compensation for wrongdoing
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
contrition · repentance · mortification · fasting · prayer · satisfaction · assigned · prescribed · acts · discipline
forgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- remissionTemporary disease absence
grace · blessing · reconciliation · cleansing · rite · pronouncement · priest · formula · words · granted
short
Of limited extent
hasty · dismissive · perfunctory · scant · inadequate · insufficient · summary · rushed · fleeting · minimal
- forgivenessforgiveness of sins, redemption, absolve, mercy, grace
- Penanceconfession booth, act of contrition, contrition, penitent, public penance
- archaic wordsthee, thou, thy, thine, tis
shriftdamnation
Eternal punishment decree
sin · condemnation · impenitence · excommunication · transgression
- short shriftHasty, dismissive treatment