shryven

Middle English

Alternative forms

• schriven, shriven, schrifen, schrevyn, schryfen, schryvyn, sriven, shrive, shrife

Etymology

From Old English sċrīfan, from Proto-West Germanic *skrīban.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃriːvən/

Verb

shryven

1. To confess, admit one's sins, shrive.
2. To confess or admit in other contexts.
3. To listen to or hear the sacrament of confession.
4. To impose either penance or absolution in response to a confession.
5. (usually in translation) To give thanks to God.

Conjugation

Conjugation of shryven (strong class 1)

infinitive	(to) shryven, shryve
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	shryve	shrof
2nd-person singular	shryvest	shrove, shryve, shreve, shrof
3rd-person singular	shryveth	shrof
subjunctive singular	shryve	shrove1, shryve1, shreve1
imperative singular		—
plural2	shryven, shryve	shroven, shrove, shryven, shryve, shreven, shreve
imperative plural	shryveth, shryve	—
participles	shryvynge, shryvende	shryven, shryve, shreven, shreve

¹ Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
² Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Related terms

• shryver
• shryvyng

Descendants

• English: shrive
• Scots: schrive (archaic)

References

• “shrīven, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-27.