penance
[noun]
Synonyms: atonement, penalty, reparation, sackcloth and ashes

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

pen‧ance /ˈpenəns/ noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Medieval Latin poenitentia, from Latin paenitere; ⇒ penitent¹]

1. [countable usually singular, uncountable] something that you must do to show that you are sorry for something you have done wrong, especially in some religions
do/perform penance
We prayed and did penance together.
penance for
as a penance for his sins

2. [singular] something that you have to do but do not enjoy doing:
Working in the garden was a kind of penance.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

penance
noun
ADJ. public
VERB + PENANCE do, perform
PREP. as a ~ He devoted his life to helping the poor as a penance for his past crimes.
in ~ She knelt at her mother's feet in penance.
~ for He decided to do public penance for his sins.
PHRASES an act of penance

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲