repent en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ɹɪˈpɛnt/
Etymology
From Middle English repenten, from Old French repentir, from Vulgar Latin *repaenitīre, from Late Latin paenitīre, from Classical Latin paenitēre. Compare Modern French repentir.
Meanings
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(intransitive) To feel pain, sorrow, or regret for what one has done or omitted to do; the cause for repenting may be indicated with "of".
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jonah 3:10:If Aljunied decides to go that way (to vote for Workers' Party), well Aljunied has five years to live and repent.
2011 April 30, Lee Kuan Yew, as quoted, “Aljunied voters will regret choosing WP: MM Leel”, in Yahoo News, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2025:Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 17:1–4:
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(intransitive) To be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness; to cease to practice sin and to love.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 2:38–40:Mad Prophet: Repent! Repent and restore your souls to glory before it is too late! This great station has fallen, and all within shall fall with it!
2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3: Omega (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, PC, scene: Gozu District:The Court shall, after sentencing an offender for any offence under section 221, 222, 223 or 224 and before execution of the punishment, order the offender to repent.
2013, Hassanal Bolkiah, “Syariah Penal Code Order, 2013”, in Brunei Darussalem Government Gazette, page 1759:... Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 1:14–15:I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 13:3:
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(transitive) To feel pain on account of; to remember with sorrow.
If Aljunied decides to go that way (to vote for the Workers' Party), well Aljunied has five years to live and repent.
2011 April 30, Lee Kuan Yew, as quoted, “Aljunied voters will regret choosing WP: MM Lee”, in Yahoo News, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2025:
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(transitive) To be sorry for, to regret.
I repent my sins.
And what I ſaid in time of our buſines I repent not, And if it were to ſpeake againe, Euerie word ſhould be a whole ſermon, So much I repent me.
1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act IV:
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(archaic, transitive) To cause to have sorrow or regret.
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 6:6:at that time she wolde nat, she seyde, for she was syke and myght nat ryde. "That me repentith," seyde the kynge[…].
1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book VII, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:
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(obsolete, reflexive) To cause (oneself) to feel pain or regret.
But if that I knewe what his name hight, For clatering of me I would him ſone quight; For his falſe lying, of that I ſpake never, I could make him ſhortly repent him forever: […]
c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.
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(archaic, intransitive) To change one's mind.
The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 110:4:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| repented | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| repented | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| repents | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| repenting | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Deriveds
repentable · repenter · unrepenting · repentingly · marry in haste, repent at leisure · unrepented · repentless
Relateds
unrepentable · penitent · repentant · penitentiary · repentance · penance · penitence
Synonyms
rue · regret · afterthink
Translations (100)
ar تَابَ (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · nl betreuren (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · ru пока́яться (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · fi surra (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · sh кајати се (to feel sorry for, to regret) · clt ngiepachiy (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · bg съжалявам (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · de bedauern (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · tr pişman olmak (to feel sorry for, to regret) · hy զղջալ (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sh покајати се (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · sh kajati se (to feel sorry for, to regret) · sh кајати се (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · es repentirse (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · es arrepentirse (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sh pokajati se (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ru раска́яться (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ca penedir-se (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · eo penti (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · yue 懺悔 /忏悔 (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · el μετανοώ (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · nl berouwen (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ru ка́яться (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · cs kát se (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sw kutubu (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · fi kaduttaa (to cause to have sorrow or regret) · sh покајати се (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · es arrepentir (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · ru пока́яться (to feel sorry for, to regret) · fr se repentir (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ru пока́яться (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · tr pişman etmek (to cause to have sorrow or regret) · fr se repentir (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · mi rīpenetā (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sh pokajati se (to feel sorry for, to regret) · nl betreuren (to feel sorry for, to regret) · cmn 悔悟 (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · ru ка́яться (to feel sorry for, to regret) · ru сожале́ть (to feel sorry for, to regret) · pt arrepender (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · ru жале́ть (to feel sorry for, to regret) · ms insaf (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · grc μετᾰνοέω (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ja 悔い改める (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · ru сожале́ть (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · tr pişman olmak (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · cmn 悔改 (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · fi surettaa (to cause to have sorrow or regret) · ang hrēowan (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sv ångra (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · ko 뉘우치다 (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · nb angre (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · ar تَابَ (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · sh кајати се (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · zdj utubu (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · fi katua (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · uk шкодува́ти (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · fi katua (to feel sorry for, to regret) · grc μετανοέω (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · fi kääntyä (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · sh покајати се (to feel sorry for, to regret) · cmn 忏悔 (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · nl berouw hebben (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · syc ܬܘܐ (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sh kajati se (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · hi पछताना (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sq pendohem (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · sh kajati se (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · chk aier (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · it pentirsi (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · de bereuen (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · cmn 悔改 (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ru раска́яться (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · ru раска́иваться (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · gl arrepentir (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · tr pişman olmak (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · uk ка́ятися (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · pt arrepender-se (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · nrf r'penti (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · nl berouwen (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · ase A@Chest-PalmBack CirclesVert (to cause to have sorrow or regret) · nl berouw hebben (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · bg разкайвам се (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · hi मन फिराना (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ase A@Chest-PalmBack CirclesVert (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · cmn 後悔 /后悔 (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · ru раска́иваться (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ru ка́яться (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · bg съжалявам (to feel sorry for, to regret) · sh pokajati se (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · fro repentir (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · fi tehdä parannus (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · got 𐌹𐌳𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌲𐍉𐌽 (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · fr repentir (to feel pain on account of, to remember with sorrow) · tr tövbe etmek (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · pdt omkjieren (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · nn angre (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · nl berouw tonen (theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness) · ru сокруша́ться (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do) · el μετανιώνω (to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do)