venial sin

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

a pardonable sin regarded as entailing only a partial loss of graceSynonyms: venial sin

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Sin \Sin\, n. [OE. sinne, AS. synn, syn; akin to D. zonde, OS. sundia, OHG. sunta, G. s["u]nde, Icel., Dan. & Sw. synd, L. sons, sontis, guilty, perhaps originally from the p. pr. of the verb signifying, to be, and meaning, the one who it is. Cf. Authentic, Sooth.]

1.Transgression of the law of God; disobedience of the divine command; any violation of God's will, either in purpose or conduct; moral deficiency in the character; iniquity; as, sins of omission and sins of commission. [1913 Webster]

Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.— John viii. 34.[1913 Webster]

Sin is the transgression of the law.— 1 John iii. 4.[1913 Webster]

I think 't no sin. To cozen him that would unjustly win.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Enthralled By sin to foul, exorbitant desires.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

2.An offense, in general; a violation of propriety; a misdemeanor; as, a sin against good manners. [1913 Webster]

I grant that poetry's a crying sin.— Pope.[1913 Webster]

3.A sin offering; a sacrifice for sin. [1913 Webster]

He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin.— 2 Cor. v. 21.[1913 Webster]

4.An embodiment of sin; a very wicked person. [R.] [1913 Webster]

Thy ambition, Thou scarlet sin, robbed this bewailing land Of noble Buckingham.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Note: Sin is used in the formation of some compound words of obvious signification; as, sin-born; sin-bred, sin-oppressed, sin-polluted, and the like. [1913 Webster]

Actual sin, Canonical sins, Original sin, Venial sin. See under Actual, Canonical, etc.

Deadly sins, or Mortal sins (R. C. Ch.), willful and deliberate transgressions, which take away divine grace; -- in distinction from vental sins. The seven deadly sins are pride, covetousness, lust, wrath, gluttony, envy, and sloth.

Sin eater, a man who (according to a former practice in England) for a small gratuity ate a piece of bread laid on the chest of a dead person, whereby he was supposed to have taken the sins of the dead person upon himself.

Sin offering, a sacrifice for sin; something offered as an expiation for sin. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Iniquity; wickedness; wrong. See Crime. [1913 Webster]

Venial \Ve"ni*al\, a. [OF. venial, F. v['e]niel, L. venialis, from venia forgiveness, pardon, grace, favor, kindness; akin to venerari to venerate. See Venerate.]

1.Capable of being forgiven; not heinous; excusable; pardonable; as, a venial fault or transgression. [1913 Webster]

So they do nothing, 't is a venial slip.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.Allowed; permitted. [Obs.] "Permitting him the while venial discourse unblamed." --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Venial sin (R. C. Theol.), a sin which weakens, but does not wholly destroy, sanctifying grace, as do mortal, or deadly, sins. [1913 Webster] -- Ve"ni*al*ly, adv. -- Ve"ni*al*ness, n. --Bp. Hall. [1913 Webster]