repent, regret

repent, regret
These words are near-synonyms, but they do have slightly different applications. To repent is to feel sorrow and to engage in self-reproach, which is precisely the primary meaning of regret. But to repent is to go a step further: to feel so regretful as to try to make amends, to do something to atone for the acts or omissions that caused regret. That is, one may regret many things but repent of only some of them: "I regret not having written to you." "Because this rich man repented of his shady dealings, he decided to give away much of his money."

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • regret — See repent. See repent, regret …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • repent — See repent, regret …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • repent — late 13c., to feel regret for sins or crimes, from O.Fr. repentir (11c.), from re , intensive prefix, + V.L. *penitire to regret, from L. poenitire make sorry, from poena (see PENAL (Cf. penal)). The distinction between REGRET (Cf. regret) (q.v.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • repent — repent1 [ri pent′] vi. [ME repenten < OFr repentir < VL repoenitere < L re , again + poenitere, for paenitere: see PENITENT] 1. to feel sorry or self reproachful for what one has done or failed to do; be conscience stricken or contrite:… …   English World dictionary

  • repent — I verb apologize, atone for, be conscience striken, be penitent, be sorry for, beg pardon, bemoan, bewail, cry over, deplore, do penance, expiate, feel contrition, feel regret, feel remorse, grieve, have a guilty conscience, have qualms, humble… …   Law dictionary

  • Repent — Re*pent , v. t. 1. To feel pain on account of; to remember with sorrow. [1913 Webster] I do repent it from my very soul. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To feel regret or sorrow; used reflexively. [1913 Webster] My father has repented him ere now. Dryden …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • repent — ► VERB 1) feel or express sincere regret or remorse. 2) feel regret or remorse about. DERIVATIVES repentance noun repentant adjective repenter noun. ORIGIN Old French repentir, from Latin paenitere cause to repent …   English terms dictionary

  • regret — I verb apologize, be disturbed over, be penitent, be remorseful, be sorry for, bemoan, bewail, blame oneself, cry over, deplore, disapprove of, feel conscience stricken, feel uneasy about, fret, grieve at, have a bad conscience, have qualms about …   Law dictionary

  • regret — [n] upset over past action affliction, anguish, annoyance, apologies, apology, bitterness, care, compunction, concern, conscience, contrition, demur, disappointment, discomfort, dissatisfaction, dole, grief, heartache, heartbreak, lamentation,… …   New thesaurus

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