repine

present singular third person repines · participle present repining · participle past repined · past repined · first person past singular repined · archaic present second person singular repinest · past second person singular repined · archaic past second person singular repinedst · present singular third person repines · archaic present singular third person repineth · past singular third person repined · past plural repined · past subjunctive repined · participle present repining · participle past repined · alternative repyne

1. intransitiveliteraryTo complain; to regret; to fret.First known use early 16th c.

   But many times we complaine, repine, and mutter without cauſe, wee giue way to paſſions, we may reſiſt and will not.

   1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Against Envy, Livor, Emulation, Hatred, Ambition, Selfe-loue, and All Other Affections”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 3, member 6

   5 more examples

   [VV]e are able with playne demonſtration to proue, and vvith reaſon to perſvvade that in tymes paſt our fayth vvas alike, that then vve preached thinges correſpondent vnto the forme of faith already published of vs, ſo that none in this behalfe can repyne or gaynesay vs.

   1577, “Constantinus the Emperour Summoneth the Nicene Councell, it was Held at Nicæa a Citie of Bythnia for the Debatinge of the Controuersie about the Feast of Easter, and the Rootinge out of the Heresie of Arius”, in Meredith Hanmer, transl., The Avncient Ecclesiasticall Histories of the First Six Hundred Yeares after Christ, […], book I (The First Booke of the Ecclesiasticall Historye of Socrates Scholasticvs), imprinted at London: By Thomas Vautroullier […], translation of original by Socrates Scholasticus [i.e., Socrates of Constantinople], →OCLC, page 225

   O my gracious Lord, doe to me what seemeth good in thy own eyes; I am like clay in the hands of the potter, and what am I that I should repine against the acts of thy providence and dispensation? Behold O God, thy Handmaid is but a worm before thee; shall dust and ashes repine against God?

   a. 1667, Jeremy Taylor, “A Prayer for a Woman who has Lost Her Husband”, in A Collection of Offices, or Forms of prayer in cases ordinary and extraordinary, 2nd edition, published 1690, page 172

   Nor ſhall I count it hainous to enjoy / The public marks of honour and reward / Conferr'd upon me, for the piety / Which to my countrey I was judg'd to have ſhewn. / At this whoever envies or repines / I leave him to his lot, and like my own.

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 61, lines 992–997

   Whoſo repines at ſeaſons and weather, and ſpeaks impatiently of times and events, repines and ſpeakth impatiently of God, who is the ſole Lord and Governor of times, ſeaſons, and events.

   1729, William Law, chapter XXII, in A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. Adapted to the State and Condition of All Orders of Christians, London: Printed for William Innys, […], →OCLC, page 447

   What if the Foot, ordain'd the duſt to tread, / Or Hand, to toil, aſpir'd to be the Head? / What if the Head, the Eye, or Ear repin'd / To ſerve mere Engines to the ruling Mind?

   1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle I, London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC, page 15, lines 248–251

2. intransitiveliteraryTo long for (something) discontentedly; to pine.First known use 17th c.

   Each normal life repines for better life; […]

   1917, W[illiam] S[amuel] Harrison, “Book First”, in The Supremacy of Life, a Poem, Boston: Sherman, French & Company, →OCLC, page 10

   4 more examples

   Theſe ears, alas! for other notes repine, / A different object do theſe eyes require.

   1742 (date written), [Thomas] Gray, “Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West”, in The Poems of Mr. Gray. […], York, Yorkshire: […] A[nn] Ward; and sold by J[ames] Dodsley, […]; and J[ohn] Todd, […], published 1775, →OCLC, page 60

   But the oath supremacy was not refused, the worship of the church was frequented by multitudes who secretly repined for a change; […]

   1827, Henry Hallam, “On the Laws of Elizabeth’s Reign Respecting the Roman Catholics”, in The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 165

   Brother Jonathan, distressed is my spirit, / My heart is repining for thee!

   1899, Herman Bernstein, “David's Lament”, in The Flight of Time, and Other Poems, London; New York: F. Tennyson Neely, page 49

   Yet oft do we repine / For the days of old, / For the days of gold— / For the days of Forty-Nine

   1910, Joaquin Miller, Forty-nine: an Idyl Drama of the Sierras (in Four Acts), San Francisco: Whitaker & Ray-Wiggin Co., →OCLC, page 85

plural repines

1. archaicobsoleteA repining.

   And ye, fair heaps, the Muses’ sacred shrines, / (In spite of time and envious repines) / Stand still and flourish till the world’s last day, / Upbraiding it with former love’s decay.

   c. 1600, Joseph Hall, “Book II”, in Satires, Chiswick: Printed for C[harles] Whittingham, […] , published 1824, →OCLC, Satire II, page 30

   2 more examples

   Whose beams upon his hairless face are fix’d / As if from thence they borrowed all their shine. / Were never four such lamps together mix’d, / Had not his clouded with his brow’s repine; […]

   1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, [verse 82], lines [487–490]

   It would, therefore, be criminal negligence did we not embrace this chance to proclaim broadcast, through such men as by their learning, their repines of judgment, their character and their works, will command general recognition and attention

   1979, Ronald A. Brauner, Jewish civilization: essays and studies, volume 1, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, page 112