repent1
[ri-pent]
- to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often followed by of): He repented after his thoughtless act.
- to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.
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- to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition: to repent one's injustice to another.
- to feel sorry for; regret: to repent an imprudent act.
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Origin of repent1
repent2
[ree-puh nt, ri-pent]
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Origin of repent2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for repent
Contemporary Examples
A: You must repent for entertaining the notion of killing a person, especially as a means of resolving a dispute.
But rather than hiding away in a dark monastery to repent, Cardinal Law is instead an exalted member of Vatican inner circles.
Investigating signs and ads, such as Repent and Sin No More!
Historical Examples
If you don't put down that gun in double quick time, you'll repent it.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
The alderman saw no reason to repent his decision, hastily as it had been made.
The Armourer's PrenticesCharlotte M. Yonge
There, some are tempted to buy; and some repent of having bought.
De Libris: Prose and VerseAustin Dobson
But after a night of cool reflection they began to repent of their haste.
Stories from ThucydidesH. L. Havell
If we have fallen into disgrace by sin, we should repent and lead a better life.
An Explanation of Luther's Small CatechismJoseph Stump
repent1
- to feel remorse (for); be contrite (about); show penitence (for)he repents of his extravagance; he repented his words
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French repentir from re- + pentir to be contrite, from Latin paenitēre to repent
repent2
- botany lying or creeping along the ground; reptantrepent stems
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Word Origin
C17: from Latin rēpere to creep
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for repent
v.
c.1300, "to feel such regret for sins or crimes as produces amendment of life," from Old French repentir (11c.), from re-, here probably an intensive prefix (see re-), + Vulgar Latin *penitire "to regret," from Latin poenitire "make sorry," from poena (see penal). The distinction between regret (q.v.) and repent is made in many modern languages, but the differentiation is not present in older periods. Related: Repented; repenting.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper