Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter S - Page 73
Shovelbill (n.) (Zool.) The shoveler.
Compare: Shoveler
Shoveler (n.) [Also shoveller.] One who, or that which, shovels.
Shoveler (n.) (Zool.) A river duck ({Spatula clypeata), native of Europe and America. It has a large bill, broadest towards the tip. The male is handsomely variegated with green, blue, brown, black, and white on the body; the head and neck are dark green. Called also broadbill, spoonbill, shovelbill, and maiden duck. The Australian shoveler, or shovel-nosed duck ({Spatula rhynchotis), is a similar species.
Shovelboard (n.) A board on which a game is played, by pushing or driving pieces of metal or money to reach certain marks; also, the game itself. Called also shuffleboard, shoveboard, shovegroat, shovelpenny.
Shovelboard (n.) A game played on board ship in which the aim is to shove or drive with a cue wooden disks into divisions chalked on the deck; -- called also shuffleboard.
Shovelboard (n.) A game in which players use long sticks to shove wooden disks onto the scoring area marked on a smooth surface [syn: shuffleboard, shovelboard].
Shoveler (n.) [Also shoveller.] One who, or that which, shovels.
Shoveler
(n.)
(Zool.) A river duck ({Spatula clypeata), native of Europe and
Shoveler (n.) A worker who shovels; "a shoveler of coal" [syn: shoveler, shoveller].
Shoveler (n.) Freshwater duck of the northern hemisphere having a broad flat bill [syn: shoveler, shoveller, broadbill, Anas clypeata].
Shovelfuls (n. pl. ) of Shovelful.
Shovelful (n.) As much as a shovel will hold; enough to fill a shovel.
Shovelful (n.) The quantity a shovel can hold [syn: shovel, shovelful, spadeful].
Shovelhead (n.) (Zool.) shark
({Sphryna tiburio) allied to the hammerhead, and native of the warmer parts of
the
Shovelhead (n.) Small harmless hammerhead having a spade-shaped head; abundant in bays and estuaries [syn: shovelhead, bonnethead, bonnet shark, Sphyrna tiburo].
Shovelnose (n.) (Zool.) The common sand shark. See under Snad.
Shovelnose (n.) (Zool.) A small
Shovelnose (n.) (Zool.) A
Shovelnose (n.) (Zool.) A ganoid
fish of the Sturgeon family ({Scaphirhynchus platyrhynchus) of the
Shovel-nosed (a.) (Zool.) Having a broad, flat nose; as, the shovel-nosed duck, or shoveler.
Shoven () p. p. of Shove.
Showed (imp.) of Show.
Shown (p. p.) of Show.
Showed () of Show. Showing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Show.
Show (v. t.) To exhibit or present to view; to place in sight; to display; -- the thing exhibited being the object, and often with an indirect object denoting the person or thing seeing or beholding; as, to show a house; show your colors; shopkeepers show customers goods (show goods to customers).
Go thy way, shew thyself to the priest. -- Matt. viii. 4.
Nor want we skill or art from whence to raise Magnificence; and what can heaven show more? -- Milton.
Show (v. t.) To exhibit to the mental view; to tell; to disclose; to reveal; to make known; as, to show one's designs.
Shew them the way wherein they must walk. -- Ex. xviii. 20.
If it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away. -- 1 Sam. xx. 13.
Show (v. t.) Specifically, to make known the way to (a person); hence, to direct; to guide; to asher; to conduct; as, to show a person into a parlor; to show one to the door.
Show (v. t.) To make apparent or clear, as by evidence, testimony, or reasoning; to prove; to explain; also, to manifest; to evince; as, to show the truth of a statement; to show the causes of an event.
I 'll show my duty by my timely care. -- Dryden.
Show (v. t.) To bestow; to confer; to afford; as, to show favor.
Shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me. -- Ex. xx. 6.
To show forth, To manifest; to publish; to proclaim.
To show his paces, To exhibit the gait, speed, or the like; -- said especially of a horse.
To show off, To exhibit ostentatiously.
To show up, To expose. [Colloq.]
Show (v. i.) To exhibit or manifest one's self or itself; to appear; to look; to be in appearance; to seem.
Just such she shows before a rising storm. -- Dryden.
All round a hedge upshoots, and shows At distance like a little wood. -- Tennyson.
Show (v. i.) To have a certain appearance, as well or ill, fit or unfit; to become or suit; to appear.
My lord of York, it better showed with you. -- Shak.
To show off, To make a show; to display one's self.
Show (n.) The act of showing, or bringing to view; exposure to sight; exhibition.
Show (n.) That which os shown, or brought to view; that which is arranged to be seen; a spectacle; an exhibition; as, a traveling show; a cattle show.
As for triumphs, masks, feasts, and such shows. -- Bacon.
Show (n.) Proud or ostentatious display; parade; pomp.
I envy none their pageantry and show. -- Young.
Show (n.) Semblance; likeness; appearance.
He through the midst unmarked, In show plebeian angel militant Of lowest order, passed. -- Milton.
Show (n.) False semblance; deceitful appearance; pretense.
Beware of the scribes, . . . which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers. -- Luke xx. 46. 47.
Show (n.) (Med.) A discharge, from the vagina, of mucus streaked with blood, occuring a short time before labor.
Show (n.) (Mining) A pale blue flame, at the top of a candle flame, indicating the presence of fire damp. -- Raymond.
Show bill, A broad sheet containing an advertisement in large letters.
Show box, A box xontaining some object of curiosity carried round as a show.
Show card, An advertising placard; also, a card for displaying samples.
Show case, A glassed case, box, or cabinet for displaying and protecting shopkeepers' wares, articles on exhibition in museums, etc.
Show glass, A glass which displays objects; a mirror.
Show of hands, a raising of hands to indicate judgment; as, the vote was taken by a show of hands.
Show stone, A piece of glass or crystal supposed to have the property of exhibiting images of persons or things not present, indicating in that way future events.
Show (n.) The act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining; "a remarkable show of skill".
Show (n.) Something intended to communicate a particular impression; "made a display of strength"; "a show of impatience"; "a good show of looking interested" [syn: display, show].
Show (n.) A social event involving a public performance or entertainment; "they wanted to see some of the shows on Broadway."
Show (n.) Pretending that something is the case in order to make a good impression; "they try to keep up appearances"; "that ceremony is just for show" [syn: appearance, show].
Show (v.) Give an exhibition of to an interested audience; "She shows her dogs frequently"; "We will demo the new software in Washington" [syn: show, demo, exhibit, present, demonstrate].
Show (v.) Establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment; "The experiment demonstrated the instability of the compound"; "The mathematician showed the validity of the conjecture" [syn: prove, demonstrate, establish, show, shew] [ant: confute, disprove].
Show (v.) Provide evidence for; "The blood test showed that he was the father"; "Her behavior testified to her incompetence" [syn: testify, bear witness, prove, evidence, show].
Show (v.) Make visible or noticeable; "She showed her talent for cooking"; "Show me your etchings, please" [ant: conceal, hide].
Show (v.) Show in, or as in, a picture; "This scene depicts country life"; "the face of the child is rendered with much tenderness in this painting" [syn: picture, depict, render, show].
Show (v.) Give expression to; "She showed her disappointment" [syn: express, show, evince].
Show (v.) Indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively; "I showed the customer the glove section"; "He pointed to the empty parking space"; "he indicated his opponents" [syn: indicate, point, designate, show].
Show (v.) Be or become visible or noticeable; "His good upbringing really shows"; "The dirty side will show" [syn: show, show up].
Show (v.) Indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments; "The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero"; "The gauge read `empty'" [syn: read, register, show, record].
Show (v.) Give evidence of, as of records; "The diary shows his distress that evening."
Show (v.) Take (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums; "The usher showed us to our seats" [syn: usher, show].
Show (v.) Finish third or better in a horse or dog race; "he bet $2 on number six to show."
Showbread (n.) (Jewish Antiq.) Bread of
exhibition; loaves to set before God; -- the term used in translating the
various phrases used in the Hebrew and Greek to designate the loaves of bread
which the priest of the week placed before the Lord on the golden table in the
sanctuary. They were made of fine flour unleavened, and were changed every
Sabbath. The loaves, twelve in number, represented the twelve tribes of
Shower (n.) One who shows or exhibits.
Shower (n.) That which shows; a mirror. [Obs.] -- Wyclif.
Shower (n.) A fall or rain or hail of short duration; sometimes, but rarely, a like fall of snow.
In drought or else showers. -- Chaucer.
Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers. -- Milton.
Shower (n.) That which resembles a shower in falling or passing through the air copiously and rapidly.
With showers of stones he drives them far away. -- Pope.
Shower (n.) A copious supply bestowed. [R.]
He and myself Have travail'd in the great shower of your gifts. -- Shak.
Shower bath, A bath in which water is showered from above, and sometimes from the sides also.
Showered (imp. & p. p.) of Shower.
Showering (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Shower.
Shower (v. t.) To water with a shower; to wet copiously with rain.
Lest it again dissolve and shower the earth. -- Milton.
Shower (v. t.) To bestow liberally; to destribute or scatter in abundance; to rain. -- Shak. Caesar's favor,
That showers down greatness on his friends. -- Addison.
Shower (v. i.) To rain in showers; to fall, as in a hower or showers. -- Shak.
Shower (n.) A plumbing fixture that sprays water over you; "they installed a shower in the bathroom".
Shower (n.) Washing yourself by standing upright under water sprayed from a nozzle; "he took a shower after the game" [syn: shower, shower bath].
Shower (n.) A brief period of precipitation; "the game was interrupted by a brief shower" [syn: shower, rain shower].
Shower (n.) A sudden downpour (as of tears or sparks etc) likened to a rain shower; "a little shower of rose petals"; "a sudden cascade of sparks" [syn: shower, cascade].
Shower (n.) Someone who organizes an exhibit for others to see [syn: exhibitor, exhibitioner, shower].
Shower (n.) A party of friends assembled to present gifts (usually of a specified kind) to a person; "her friends organized a baby shower for her when she was expecting."
Shower (v.) Expend profusely; also used with abstract nouns; "He was showered with praise" [syn: lavish, shower].
Shower (v.) Spray or sprinkle with; "The guests showered rice on the couple".
Shower (v.) Take a shower; wash one's body in the shower; "You should shower after vigorous exercise".
Shower (v.) Rain abundantly; "Meteors showered down over half of Australia" [syn: shower, shower down].
Shower (v.) Provide abundantly with; "He showered her with presents."
Showerful (a.) Full of showers. -- Tennyson.
Showeriness (n.) Quality of being showery.
Showerless (a.) Rainless; freo from showers.
Showery (a.) Raining in showers; abounding with frequent showers of rain.
Showery (a.) Of or pertaining to a shower or showers. "Colors of the showery arch." -- Milton.
Showery (a.) (Of weather) Wet by periods of rain; "showery weather"; "rainy days" [syn: showery, rainy].
Showgirl (n.) A woman who dances in a chorus line [syn: chorus girl, showgirl, chorine].
Compare: Chorine
Chorine (n.) A chorus girl.
Chorine (n.) (pl. Chorines) A female chorus line dancer; a chorus girl.
Showgirl (n.) [C] 表演歌舞的女孩 A young woman who sings or dances in a musical theatre entertainment.
Showgirl (n.) A woman who dances in a chorus line [syn: chorus girl, showgirl, chorine].
Chorus line (n.) [ C usually singular, + sing/ pl. verb ]（歌劇等中的）歌舞隊；合唱團；（在娛樂表演中排成一列的）歌舞隊員 A row of people dancing and sometimes singing in an entertainment.
Showily (adv.) In a showy manner; pompously; with parade.
Showily (adv.) With ostentation; in an ostentatious manner; "Mr Khrushchev ostentatiously wooed and embraced Castro at the U.N. general assembly" [syn: ostentatiously, showily].
Showily (adv.) In a fancy colorful manner; "he dresses rather flamboyantly" [syn: flamboyantly, showily, flashily].
Showiness (n.) The quality or state of being showy; pompousness; great parade; ostentation.
Showing (n.) Appearance; display; exhibition.
Showing (n.) Presentation of facts; statement. -- J. S. Mill.
Showing (n.) The display of a motion picture [syn: screening, showing, viewing].
Showing (n.) Something shown to the public; "the museum had many exhibits of oriental art" [syn: display, exhibit, showing].
Showish (a.) Showy; ostentatious. -- Swift.
Showmen (n. pl. ) of Showman.
Showman (n.) One who exhibits a show; a proprietor of a show.
Showman (n.) A person skilled at making effective presentations.
Showman (n.) A sponsor who books and stages public entertainments [syn: showman, promoter, impresario].
Shown () p. p. of Show.
Showroom (n.) 陳列室；展示廳 A room or apartment where a show is exhibited.
Showroom (n.) A room where merchandise is exposed for sale, or where samples are displayed.
Showroom (n.) An area where merchandise (such as cars) can be displayed; "in Britain a showroom is called a salesroom" [syn: showroom, salesroom, saleroom].
Showy (a.) Making a show; attracting attention; presenting a marked appearance; ostentatious; gay; gaudy.
A present of everything that was rich and showy. -- Addison.
Syn: Splendid; gay; gaudy; gorgeous; fine; magnificent; grand; stately; sumptuous; pompous.
Showy (a.) Marked by ostentation but often tasteless; "a cheap showy rhinestone bracelet"; "a splashy half-page ad" [syn: flamboyant, showy, splashy].
Showy (a.) Displaying brilliance and virtuosity.
Showy (a.) (Used especially of clothes) marked by conspicuous display [syn: flashy, gaudy, jazzy, showy, sporty].
Showy (a.) Superficially attractive and stylish; suggesting wealth or expense; "a glossy TV series" [syn: glossy, showy].
Shrag (n.) A twig of a tree cut off. [Obs.]
Shrag (v. t.) To trim, as trees; to lop. [Obs.]
Shragger (n.) One who lops; one who trims trees. [Obs.] -- Huloet.
Shram (v. t.) To cause to shrink or shrivel with cold; to benumb. [Prov. Eng.]
Shrank () imp. of Shrink. Shrap
Shrink (v. i.) [imp. Shrankor Shrunk p. p. Shrunk or Shrunken, but the latter is now seldom used except as a participial adjective; p. pr. & vb. n. Shrinking.] [OE. shrinken, schrinken, AS. scrincan; akin to OD. schrincken, and probably to Sw. skrynka a wrinkle, skrynkla to wrinkle, to rumple, and E. shrimp, n. & v., scrimp. CF. Shrimp.] To wrinkle, bend, or curl; to shrivel; hence, to contract into a less extent or compass; to gather together; to become compacted.
And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. -- Spenser.
I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room. -- Bacon.
Against this fire do I shrink up. -- Shak.
And shrink like parchment in consuming fire. -- Dryden.
All the boards did shrink. -- Coleridge.
Shrink (v. i.) To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear; to recoil, as in fear, horror, or distress.
What happier natures shrink at with affright, The hard inhabitant contends is right. -- Pope.
They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task. -- Jowett (Thucyd.)
Shrink (v. i.) To express fear, horror, or pain by contracting the body, or part of it; to shudder; to quake. [R.] -- Shak.
Shrap (n.) Alt. of Shrape.
Shrape (n.) A place baited with chaff to entice birds. [Written also scrap.] [Obs.] -- Bp. Bedell.
Shrapnel (a.) Applied as an appellation to a kind of shell invented by Gen. H. Shrapnel of the British army.
Shrapnel (n.) A shrapnel shell; shrapnel shells, collectively.
Shrapnel shell (Gunnery), A projectile for a cannon, consisting of a shell filled with bullets and a small bursting charge to scatter them at any given point while in flight. See the Note under Case shot.
Compare: Case shot
Case shot (Mil.) A collection of small projectiles, inclosed in a case or canister.
Note: In the United States a case shot is a thin spherical or oblong cast-iron shell containing musket balls and a bursting charge, with a time fuse; -- called in Europe shrapnel. In Europe the term case shot is applied to what in the United States is called canister. -- Wilhelm.
Shrapnel (n.) Shell containing lead pellets that explodes in flight.
Shred (n.) A long, narrow piece cut or torn off; a strip. "Shreds of tanned leather." -- Bacon.
Shred (n.) In general, a fragment; a piece; a particle. -- Shak.
Shred (imp. & p. p.) of Shred.
Shredded () of Shred.
Shredding (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Shred.
Shred (n.) To cut or tear into small pieces, particularly narrow and long pieces, as of cloth or leather. -- Chaucer.
Shred (n.) To lop; to prune; to trim. [Obs.]
Shred (n.) A tiny or scarcely detectable amount [syn: shred, scintilla, whit, iota, tittle, smidgen, smidgeon, smidgin, smidge].
Shred (n.) A small piece of cloth or paper [syn: rag, shred, tag, tag end, tatter].
Shred (v.) Tear into shreds [syn: shred, tear up, rip up].
Shredcook (n.) (Zool.) The fieldfare; -- so called from its harsh cry before rain. [Prov. Eng.]
Shredding (n.) The act of cutting or tearing into shreds.
Shredding (n.) That which is cut or torn off; a piece. -- Hooker.
Shreddy (a.) Consisting of shreds.
Shredless (a.) Having no shreds; without a shred.
And those which waved are shredless dust ere now. -- Byron.
Shrew (a.) Wicked; malicious. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Shrew (n.) Originally, a brawling, turbulent, vexatious person of either sex, but now restricted in use to females; a brawler; a scold.
A man . . . grudgeth that shrews [i. e., bad men] have prosperity, or else that good men have adversity. -- Chaucer.
A man had got a shrew to his wife, and there could be no quiet in the house for her. -- L'Estrange.
Shrew (n.) (Zool.) Any small insectivore of the genus Sorex and several allied genera of the family Sorecidae. In form and color they resemble mice, but they have a longer and more pointed nose. Some of them are the smallest of all mammals.
Note: The common European species are the house shrew ({Crocidura araneus), and the erd shrew ({Sorex vulgaris) (see under Erd.). In the United States several species of Sorex and Blarina are common, as the broadnosed shrew ({Sorex platyrhinus), Cooper's shrew ({Sorex Cooperi), and the short-tailed, or mole, shrew ({Blarina brevicauda). Th American water, or marsh, shrew ({Neosorex palustris), with fringed feet, is less common. The common European water shrews are Crossopus fodiens, and the oared shrew (see under Oared).
Earth shrew, Any shrewlike burrowing animal of the family Centetidae, as the tendrac.
Elephant shrew, Jumping shrew, Mole shrew. See under Elephant, Jumping, etc.
Musk shrew. See Desman.
River shrew, An aquatic West African insectivore ({Potamogale velox) resembling a weasel in form and size, but having a large flattened and crested tail adapted for rapid swimming. It feeds on fishes.
Shrew mole, A common large North American mole ({Scalops aquaticus). Its fine, soft fur is gray with iridescent purple tints.
Shrew (v. t.) To beshrew; to curse. [Obs.] "I shrew myself." -- Chaucer.
Shrew (n.) A scolding nagging bad-tempered woman [syn: shrew, termagant].
Shrew (n.) Small mouselike mammal with a long snout; related to moles [syn: shrew, shrewmouse].
Shrewd (a.) Inclining to shrew; disposing to curse or scold; hence, vicious; malicious; evil; wicked; mischievous; vexatious; rough; unfair; shrewish. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
[Egypt] hath many shrewd havens, because of the great rocks that ben strong and dangerous to pass by. -- Sir J. Mandeville.
Every of this happy number That have endured shrewd days and nights with us. -- Shak.
Shrewd (a.) Artful; wily; cunning; arch.
These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. -- Shak.
Shrewd (a.) Able or clever in practical affairs; sharp in business; astute; sharp-witted; sagacious; keen; as, a shrewd observer; a shrewd design; a shrewd reply.
Professing to despise the ill opinion of mankind creates a shrewd suspicion that we have deserved it. -- Secker.
Syn: Keen; critical; subtle; artful; astute; sagacious; discerning; acute; penetrating.
Usage: {Shrewd}, {Sagacious}. One who is shrewd is keen to detect errors, to penetrate disguises, to foresee and guard against the selfishness of others. Shrewd is a word of less dignity than sagacious, which implies a comprehensive as well as penetrating mind, whereas shrewd does not. -- {Shrewd"ly}, adv. -- {Shrewd"ness}, n.
Shrewd (a.) Marked by practical hardheaded intelligence; "a smart businessman"; "an astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease"; "he was too shrewd to go along with them on a road that could lead only to their overthrow" [syn: {astute}, {sharp}, {shrewd}].
Shrewd (a.) Used of persons; "the most calculating and selfish men in the community" [syn: {calculating}, {calculative}, {conniving}, {scheming}, {shrewd}].
Shrewdness (n.) 精明，機靈；敏銳 [U] Intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings) [syn: {shrewdness}, {astuteness}, {perspicacity}, {perspicaciousness}].
Shrewish (a.) Having the qualities of a shrew; having a scolding disposition; froward; peevish.
My wife is shrewish when I keep not hours. -- Shak. -- Shrew"ish*ly, adv. -- Shrew"ish*ness, n.
Shrewish (a.) Continually complaining or faultfinding; "a shrewish wife"; "nagging parents" [syn: shrewish, nagging].
Shrewmouse (n.) (Zool.) A shrew; especially, the erd shrew.
Shrewmouse (n.) Small mouselike mammal with a long snout; related to moles [syn: shrew, shrewmouse].
Shriek (n.) A sharp, shrill outcry or scream; a shrill wild cry such as is caused by sudden or extreme terror, pain, or the like.
Shrieks, clamors, murmurs, fill the frighted town. -- Dryden.
Shriek owl. (Zool.) (a) The screech owl.
Shriek owl. (Zool.) (b) The swift; -- so called from its cry.
Shrieked (imp. & p. p.) of Shriek.
Shrieking (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Shriek.
Shriek (v. i.) To utter a loud, sharp, shrill sound or cry, as do some birds and beasts; to scream, as in a sudden fright, in horror or anguish.
It was the owl that shrieked. -- Shak.
At this she shrieked aloud; the mournful train Echoed her grief. -- Dryden.
Shriek (v. t.) To utter sharply and shrilly; to utter in or with a shriek or shrieks.
On top whereof aye dwelt the ghostly owl, Shrieking his baleful note. -- Spenser.
She shrieked his name To the dark woods. -- Moore.
Shriek (n.) Sharp piercing cry; "her screaming attracted the neighbors" [syn: scream, screaming, shriek, shrieking, screech, screeching].
Shriek (n.) A high-pitched noise resembling a human cry; "he ducked at the screechings of shells"; "he heard the scream of the brakes" [syn: screech, screeching, shriek, shrieking, scream, screaming].
Shriek (v.) Utter a shrill cry [syn: shriek, shrill, pipe up, pipe].
Shriek (n.) See excl. Occasional CMU usage, also in common use among APL fans and mathematicians, especially category theorists.
Exclamation mark
!
Excl
exclamation point
shriek
The character "!" with ASCII code 33.
Common names: bang; pling; excl; shriek; ITU-T: exclamation mark, exclamation point (US). Rare: factorial; exclam; smash; cuss; boing; yell; wow; hey; wham; eureka; soldier; INTERCAL: spark-spot.
The Commonwealth Hackish, "pling", is common among Acorn Archimedes owners. Bang is more common in the USA.
The occasional CMU usage, "shriek", is also used by APL fans and mathematicians, especially category theorists.
Exclamation mark is used in C and elsewhere as the logical operation ({NOT"> negation operation ({NOT).
(1998-09-17)
Shrieker (n.) One who utters a shriek.
Shrieval (a.) Of or pertaining to a sheriff.
Shrievalty (n.) The office, or sphere of jurisdiction, of a sheriff; sheriffalty.
It was ordained by 28 Edward I that the people shall have election of sheriff in every shire where the shrievalty is not of inheritance. -- Blackstone.
Shrieve (n.) A sheriff. [Obs.] -- Shak.
Shrieve (v. t.) To shrive; to question. [Obs.] "She gan him soft to shrieve." -- Spenser.
Shrift (n.) The act of shriving.
In shrift and preaching is my diligence. -- Chaucer.