What does the Expression ‘Short Shrift’ Mean?

Short shrift means a brief and unsympathetic rejection; to give someone little attention or sympathy.

This phrase comes from a time when confessing your sins to a priest was a universal practice.

The word ‘shrift’ means the act of confessing before a priest who also suggested penance or atonement for sin.

Suppose the sin committed by a sinner was so ghastly and disgusting that the priest does not sympathize with him. In that case, the priest would allow him only a brief time to confess indicating that the sinner didn’t deserve his full attention or a sympathetic ear. This brief period of time was known as short shrift.

Let’s see an example —

‘I asked my boss to grant me a leave for a week but he gave me a short shrift and denied my request without giving any reason.’

It means that the boss rejected my request without even giving it too much thought.

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Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.