Adjacent Words

Repent definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RE'PENT, a. [L. repo, to creep.] Creeping; as a repent root.
REPENT', v.i. [L. re and paeniteo, from paena, pain. Gr. See Paint.]
1. To feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken; as, to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend. A person repents only of what he himself has done or said.
2. To express sorrow for something past.
Enobarbus did before thy face repent.
3. To change the mind in consequence of the inconvenience or injury done by past conduct.
Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return. Exodus 13.
4. Applied to the Supreme Being, to change the course of providential dealings. Genesis 6. Psalms 106.
5. In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a Being of infinite benevolence.
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13. Acts 3.
REPENT', v.t
1. To remember with sorrow; as, to repent rash words; to repent an injury done to a neighbor; to repent follies and vices. [See Repentance.]
2. With the reciprocal pronoun.
No man repented him of his wickedness. Jeremiah 8.
[This form of expression is now obsolete.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: turn away from sin or do penitence [syn: repent, atone]
2: feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about [syn: repent, regret, rue]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French repentir, from Medieval Latin repoenit?re, from Latin re- + Late Latin poenit?re to feel regret, alteration of Latin paenit?re — more at penitent Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life 2. a. to feel regret or contrition b. to change one's mind transitive verb 1. to cause to feel regret or contrition 2. to feel sorrow, regret, or contrition for • repenter noun II. adjective Etymology: Latin repent-, repens, present participle of repere to creep — more at reptile Date: 1669 creeping, prostrate <repent stems>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. v. 1 intr. (often foll. by of) feel deep sorrow about one's actions etc. 2 tr. (also absol.) wish one had not done, regret (one's wrong, omission, etc.); resolve not to continue (a wrongdoing etc.). 3 refl. (often foll. by of) archaic feel regret or penitence about (now I repent me). Derivatives: repentance n. repentant adj. repenter n. Etymology: ME f. OF repentir (as RE-, pentir ult. f. L paenitere) 2. adj. Bot. creeping, esp. growing along the ground or just under the surface. Etymology: L repere creep

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Repent Re*pent", v. t. 1. To feel pain on account of; to remember with sorrow. I do repent it from my very soul. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Repent Re"pent (r?"p?nt), a. [L. repens, -entis, creeping, p. pr. of repere to creep.] 1. (Bot.) Prostrate and rooting; -- said of stems. --Gray. 2. (Zo["o]l.) Same as Reptant.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Repent Re*pent" (r?-p?nt"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Repented; p. pr. & vb. n. Repenting.] [F. se repentir; L. pref. re- re- + poenitere to make repent, poenitet me it repents me, I repent. See Penitent.] 1. To feel pain, sorrow, or regret, for what one has done or omitted to do. First she relents With pity; of that pity then repents. --Dryden. 2. To change the mind, or the course of conduct, on account of regret or dissatisfaction. Lest, peradventure, the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt. --Ex. xiii. 17. 3. (Theol.) To be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness; to cease to love and practice sin. Except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish. --Luke xii. 3.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(repents, repenting, repented) If you repent, you show or say that you are sorry for something wrong you have done. Those who refuse to repent, he said, will be punished... Did he repent of anything in his life? VERB: V, V of/for n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. Rue, be sorry, for, regret, remember with sorrow. II. v. n. Regret, be sorry, be penitent, feel remorse.