penance - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

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- See Also:
- - penalize
  - penalty
  - penalty area
  - penalty box
  - penalty kick
  - penalty killer
  - penalty point
  - penalty rate
  - penalty spot
  - penalty try
  - penance
  - penannular
  - penates
  - pence
  - penchant
  - pencil
  - pencil moustache
  - pencil skirt
  - pencil-pusher
  - pendant
  - pendent
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penance

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Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
penance/ˈpenəns/

▶noun

1 punishment inflicted on oneself as an outward expression of repentance for wrongdoing.

2 a sacrament in which a member of the Church confesses sins to a priest and is given absolution.
■ a religious observance or other duty imposed as part of this sacrament.

▶verb archaic impose a penance on.

– origin ME: from OFr., from L. paenitentia ‘repentance’, from paenitere ‘be sorry’.

'penance' also found in these Oxford entries:

penitent - penitentiary - sacrament - shrift - shrive

Forum discussions with the word(s) "penance" in the title:

his thoughts of a penance in store for her were tempered

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