▪ I. † reˈpent, n. Obs.
[f. the vb.]
Repentance; an act of repentance. (Freq. in Greene's works.)
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. xii. 24 Reproch the first, Shame next, Repent behinde. c 1590 Greene Fr. Bacon xiv. 15 For this I scourge myself with sharp repents. 1611 in Farr S.P. Jas. I (1848) 175 My soule..In deepe repent, her former folly hates. |
▪ II. repent, a.1
(ˈriːpənt)
[ad. L. repent-, ppl. stem of repĕre to creep.]
1. a. Bot. Creeping; esp. growing along the ground, or just under the surface, and sending out roots at intervals.
| 1669 J. Rose Eng. Vineyard (1675) 16 There is no plant whatsoever so conatural to the vine..as this repent, and humble shrub. 1707 Sloane Jamaica I. 94 This had a small repent root. Ibid. 112 This has a crooked repent stem. 1846–50 A. Wood Class-bk. Bot. 74 Holland is said to owe its very existence to certain repent stems, by which its shores are apparently bound together. |
b. Zool. Creeping, crawling, reptant.
| 1841 Penny Cycl. XIX. 405/1 The third order, Serpentia, which are defined as having..a repent progression. |
2. fig. Unable to rise to high ideas. rare—1.
| 1684 Evelyn Let. to Pepys 8 June, He..bravely enlarges the empire of our narrow speculations, and repent spirits, whose contemplations extend no further than their sense. |
▪ III. † reˈpent, a.2 Obs. rare.
[f. stem of repent v.; cf. obs. F. repent (Godef.).]
Repentant.
| a 1500 Chaucer's Dreme 1694 The queen forthwith hire leue Toke at them all that were present, of hire defaults fully repente. |
▪ IV. repent, v.
(rɪˈpɛnt)
Also 7 as pa. pple.
[ad. F. repentir (11th c.) f. re- re- + Rom. *penitīre:—L. poenitēre: see penitent.]
1. refl. To affect (oneself) with contrition or regret for something done, etc. (cf. 3.) Also const. of, for, that. Now arch.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 52/173 Of hire misdedes heo repentede hire sore. a 1300 Cursor M. 7308 (Cott.), Ful sare yee sal repent yow. c 1305 Pilate 106 in E.E.P. (1862) 114 Longe after þat he [Christ] was ded, he [Pilate] repentede him ilome. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶224 Many menne repenten hem neuere of swiche thoghtes. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 63 Repent þe noght of þinges passyd. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop i. xv, They that be glad..of the praysynge of flaterers oftyme repente them therof. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xxiii. 68, I repent me that I hadde not beleuyd you. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III i. iv. 285, I repent me that the Duke is slaine. 1619 Visct. Doncaster in Eng. & Germ. (Camden) 207, I now repent me of it, hearing the niewes of Moravia confirmed from all parts. 1682 Bunyan Holy War (Cassell) 157, I was formerly a great companion of his, for the which I now repent me. 1842 Tennyson E. Gray 23, I repent me of all I did. |
2. impers. To cause (one) to feel regret, etc.
| 13.. Coer de L. 324 Hym repented that he cam there. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 270 As he withinne his herte caste, Which him repenteth ate laste. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1391 It salle repent vs fulle sore and we ryde forthire! 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. viii. 224 Me repenteth, grene knyghte, of your dommage. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 147 It shall not repent them of y{supt} service. 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine xxxviii. 123 It repented him that he let go Demetrius. 1664 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 148 This indeed would repent me, for the World will take more notice of it. 1717 Entertainers No. 11. 72 It can never repent us to endeavour to tread in the Steps of those bright Examples. 1819 Shelley Prometh. Unb. i. 303 It doth repent me: words are quick and vain. 1878 Swinburne Tri. Time xxi, Will it not one day in heaven repent you? |
† b. In passive. Obs. rare.
| a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 71 That is to mene, that they that be confession are clensed and repented [etc.]. 1530 Exam. W. Thorpe in Bale's Sel. Wks. (Parker Soc.) 109, I say to thee, that in the turning about of thy hand such a sinner may be verily repented. |
3. intr. To feel contrition, compunction, sorrow or regret for something one has done or left undone; to change one's mind with regard to past action or conduct through dissatisfaction with it or its results.
| c 1290 St. Brandan 104 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 222 Ȝoure on schal attan ende Repenti er he com aȝe. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 186 He þat repenteþ Raþest schulde arysen aftur [etc.]. 1388 Wyclif Matt xxvii. 3 Judas..repentide, and brouȝte aȝen the thretti pans to the princis of prestis. c 1450 Merlin 328 So fer haste thow gon that late it is to repente. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 12 Whan so euer ony synner repenteth, & is sory for his offences towarde god. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iii. iii. 5 Well, Ile repent, and that suddenly. 1650 T. Vaughan Anthroposophia 60 This middle⁓most mansion is appointed for such Soules whose whole man hath not perfectly repent in this world. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 443 None teach repentance like true penitents. He wants nothing but to repent. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xii, If your purpose is evil, pause a moment, and repent. 1859 Tennyson Guinevere 169 No light had we: for that we do repent. |
b. Const. of, at (rare), † on.
| c 1315 Shoreham vii. 536 Wy hy ne moȝe..Wel repenty of hare mysdede..Þat ich schal segge, ase ich can. c 1450 Merlin 176 Thei wolde repente with gode will of the stryfe that thei hadde a-gein Merlin, but to late thei were to repente. 1535 Coverdale Jonah iii. 10 He repented on the euell, which he sayde he wolde do vnto them, and dyd it not. 1535 Coverdale Jonah iii. 10 He repented on the euell, which he sayde he wolde do vnto them, and dyd it not. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ ii. vi. §1 God doth reserve a liberty to himself, either to repent of the evil or the good that was foretold concerning any people. 1667 Poole Dial. betw. Protest. & Papist (1735) 91 A thousand of their Sins are venial; which, tho' not repented of, will not exclude them from the Favour of God. 1769 Junius Lett. xii. (1788) 75 A scene in which a mind like yours will find nothing to repent of. 1818 Parr Wks. (1828) VIII. 640, I repent not at the gift. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 372 Nor do I now repent of the manner of my defence. |
† c. To be sad, to mourn (for an event). Obs.—1
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. viii. 47 Dead..thou maist aread Henceforth for ever Florimell to bee; That all the noble knights..may sore repent with mee. |
4. trans. To view or think of (any action, etc.) with dissatisfaction and regret; to be sorry for.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 256 Do ȝit be consaile, þou salle not it repent. c 1410 Sir Cleges 422, I repent my grauntetynge, That I to the made. 1465 Paston Lett. II. 221 For that or for some other cause he repentyth his bargeyn and woll nomore of it. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 297 b, Yet do I nothyng repente my first aduise & counsaill. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. ii. ii. 111 Content with Hermia? No, I do repent The tedious minutes I with her haue spent. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 179, I could hardly keepe him from falling down most steepe mountaines..which made me repent the buying of him. 1640 Habington Edw. IV 108 They would sell their lives at so deere a rate, that the King might repent his purchase. 1716 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Pope 14 Sept., I was so much pleased with it, I have not yet repented my seeing it. 1805 T. Harral Scenes of Life I. 49 The landlord began to repent his kindness. 1821 Whewell in Mrs. Douglas Life (1881) 65 Hitherto I have had no reason to repent setting off when I did. |
b. esp. To feel regret, sorrow, or contrition for (something inherently wrong, some fault, misconduct, sin, or other offence).
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 261 Þan he by-gan repentye sare þat he haþ greued his Eem. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 418 She..in that gret wrethe out of the paleyce went, Seying to herself that chere shuld þey repent. 1537 Cranmer Let. in Misc. Writ. (Parker Soc.) II. 350 Both you and I may repent our dallying. 1579 Fulke Heskins' Parl. 511 To him that intendeth to repent those thinges wherein he hath offended. 1611 W. Sclater Key (1629) 147 If the thing couenanted be lawfull, rashnesse must be repented: but the promise performed. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 776 The soft Napæan Race will soon repent Their Anger, and remit the Punishment. 1771 Goldsm. Hist. Eng. IV. 95 He declared..they should one day repent their insolence and presumption. 1807 Southey Espriella's Lett. II. 53 For a few minutes I repented my temerity. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. (ed. 3) II. 187 William declared..that he would make the most Christian king repent the outrage. |
† c. To regret (a circumstance or event). Obs.
| 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Lives Emperors in Hist. Ivstine Kk iij, The people founde such ease and plenty of all things, that no man repented a womans gouernment. 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 33 Whose death..all the world repented. |
† 5. To live out in repentance. Obs. rare—1.
| 1601 Shakes. All's Well iv. iii. 272 My offences being many, I would repent out the remainder of Nature. |