shrift

Meaning

Noun

• The act of going to or hearing a religious confession.
• Confession to a priest.
• Forgiveness given by a priest after confession; remission.

Origin

• From Middle English shrift, from Late Old English scryft, Old English sċrift, from sċrīfan (whence shrive), from Proto-Germanic *skrībaną, from Latin scrībō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ-.