1[countableC usually singular, uncountableU]RRCSUFFER something that you must do to show that you are sorry for something you have done wrong, especially in some religions 〔尤见于某些宗教的〕苦修,补赎
do/perform penance
We prayed and did penance together.
我们一起祈祷并苦修。
penance for
as a penance for his sins
作为对他所犯罪恶的补赎
2[singular]MUST something that you have to do but do not enjoy doing 被迫做的事,苦差
Working in the garden was a kind of penance.
在花园里干活是件苦差。
Examples from the Corpus
penance• She had spoken of a reward, not a penance!• Members of the order led a life of prayer, fasting, and penance.• As penance, Gandhi fasted three days and asked his followers to fast twenty-four hours.• He subsequently decided to do penance for the deed, and set off to his foundation at Agaune.• When it was over, the penance would be unexpectedly light.• This device will say your penance for you automatically.
do/perform penance• He whose spermflows while he is sleeping shall do penance for three days.• He subsequently decided to do penance for the deed, and set off to his foundation at Agaune.• If found guilty, her head would be shaved and she would be required to do penance for life.• Just to look at it was to do penance for her failures.
Originpenance
(1200-1300)Old FrenchMedieval Latinpoenitentia, from Latinpaenitere; → PENITENT1