Shrift
/ʃrɪft/noun
Confession or absolution, especially in the phrase "to give someone short shrift," meaning to treat them briefly or harshly.
Did you know?The phrase "short shrift" comes from the tiny amount of time a condemned person was once given to confess before execution, so a modern insult still carries the shadow of a deathbed ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
scrift
“A confession, penance, or the act of prescribing penance”
Middle English
ME
shrift
“Confession to a priest; absolution after confession”
14th-15th Century
English
short shrift
“A very brief time allowed for confession before execution”
Modern English
English
shrift
“Rarely used alone; survives mainly in "short shrift," meaning brief or dismissive treatment”