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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
contrite
adjective
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ A few days later, I received a contrite telephone call from the store, saying there had been a mistake.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Another kid might be contrite or repentant or maybe subdued.
▪ Grimly, Auguste marched back through the tent into the kitchen, with a contrite Boris trailing behind.
▪ Her tone was contrite and I thought Puddy was going to get all choked up.
▪ His touch was contrite, perhaps ashamed, but running hot beneath its gentleness.
▪ Immediately contrite, Mike crouched by Adam and lifted his head: it lolled sideways.
▪ Mercy should be shown to the contrite, but the community needed to be reassured that the contrition was genuine.
▪ She was not contrite or sorry or any of the things she should have been.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Contrite

Contrite \Con"trite\, n. A contrite person.
--Hooker.

Contrite

Contrite \Con"trite\, v. In a contrite manner.

Contrite

Contrite \Con"trite\ (?; 277), a. [L. contritus bruised, p. p. of contrere to grind, bruise; con- + terere to rub, grind: cf. F. contrit See Trite.]

  1. Thoroughly bruised or broken. [Obs.]

  2. Broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God; humbly and thoroughly penitent.

    A contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
    --Ps. li. 17.

    Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite.
    --Milton.

    Syn: Penitent; repentant; humble; sorrowful.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
contrite

c.1300, from Old French contrit and directly from Latin contritus, literally "worn out, ground to pieces," past participle of conterere "to grind," from com- "together" (see com-) + terere "to rub" (see throw (v.)). Used in English in figurative sense of "crushed in spirit by a sense of sin." Related: Contritely.

Wiktionary
contrite

a. 1 Sincerely penitent or feeling regret or sorrow, especially for one’s own actions; apologetic. 2 (context obsolete English) Thoroughly bruised or broken. n. A contrite person; a penitent.

WordNet
contrite
  1. adj. feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses [syn: remorseful, rueful, ruthful, sorry]

  2. feeling regret for a fault or offence

Usage examples of "contrite".

You admit to stupid, you cop to thoughtless, you plead brain-dead, you vouchsafe radical DNA damage all the way back to the Mesolithic, including that embarrassing contretemps involving your ancestor Hoockmuh of the Clactonians which resulted in your being minus a lobe or two of brain, and thus you are truly and genuinely contrite about having cut him off.

She bitterly regretted her killing of Ilar of Desor, and she also felt contrite about her words to Cadvan that night.

And my deuoute prayer, sincerely vnited to a contrite heart, powring out a fountaine of teares with a stedfast beliefe to be deliuered.

And this grief in Christ surpassed all grief of every contrite heart, both because it flowed from a greater wisdom and charity, by which the pang of contrition is intensified, and because He grieved at the one time for all sins, according to Isa.

And if any adult approach, being in a state of sin of which he is not conscious or for which he is not perfectly contrite, he will receive the remission of his sins through the grace bestowed in this sacrament.

For all my transgressions against womankind -- not least my apparent inability to treasure one of their number above all else in life, as did many so-called sexist pigs -- I was contrite, and did not expect absolution.

All those things hath Mine hand made, but to this man will I look, saith the Lord, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembleth at My word .

But Azhure s eyes had filled with tears and Belial had been instantly contrite.

For Cepheus, in fact contrite, ordered the palace guard to kill my ambushers, except Cassiopeia and Andromeda.

Stanton looked genuinely contrite and she was sorry for such a cheap shot.

They both went down in a heap, Jindigar crying out a contrite apology for each new offense.

Just because I don't care for undignified silliness Jack, instantly contrite, reached over and gave her shoulder a friendly shake.

Lord Kingsley, who was not in the least contrite or put out in any way--in fact, he An lllustous Lord seemed amused and quite at ease with the whole affair.

This voice did sound genuinely contrite and, with its Soluran lilt, I remembered hearing it moments before.

Colin reassured the contrite unicorn that anyone would be confused about correct unicorn behavior given the same Creed and the same circumstances, and that he quite understood, but hadn't they better flee?