resipiscence

plural resipiscences

1. literaryuncountableusuallyRecognition of one or more past mistakes, especially with a desire to improve in the future; repentance; (countable) an instance of this.First known use 16th c.

   [G]reat intellect knows no resipiscence and high art has nothing to repent of.

   1863, Ernest Naville, “Seventh Lecture. Religion.”, in Life Eternal. […], London: W. H. Dalton, […], →OCLC, page 221

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   And I haue already ſayd how ſinners for obteyning of pardon haue neede of repentance, which ſome like better to call Reſipiſcence, or amendment, and of change of minde: and the Lord promiſeth that he will pardon ſinners if they repent, if they amend and turne their hartes from their naughtie liues vnto hym.

   1570, [Alexander Nowell], “The Second Part. Of the Gospell and Faith.”, in T[homas] Norton, transl., A Catechisme, or First Instruction and Learning of Christian Religion. […], London: […] Iohn Daye […], →OCLC, folios 47, recto – 48, verso

   [T]hey vvill not haue to ſignifie a ſorrovvefull repentance, but a Resipiscence, or vvaxing vviſe againe vvhich God graunt they may doe vvithout any ſorrovve, or affliction of minde for that vvhich is paſt.

   [1622], P[eter] Canisius, “Of Indulgences, or Pardons”, in [Henry Garnet], transl., A Summe of Christian Doctrine: […], Saint-Omer: […] [Charles Boscart] for Iohn Heigham, […], →OCLC, page 644

   [R]ecollect your conduct paſt, / That reſipiſc[e]nce may at laſt / Effectuate a change.

   1796 (date written), John Maclaurin, “Address to the Powers at War”, in The Works of the Late John Maclaurin, Esq. of Dreghorn: […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] J. Ruthven and Sons; and sold by Bell & Bradfute, and E. Balfour, published 1798, →OCLC, page 177

   Amid these enlarged measures, the papers tell us of one by the legislature of New York, so much in the opposite direction that it would puzzle us to say in what, the darkest age of the history of bigotry and barbarism, we should find an apt place for it. It is said they have declared by law that all those who hereafter shall join in communion with the religious sect of Shaking quakers, shall be deemed civilly dead, their marriage vows dissolved, and all their children and property taken from them; without any provision for rehabilitation in case of resipiscence.

   1817 [May?] (date written), Thomas Jefferson, “To George Ticknor [letter]”, in Paul Leicester Ford, editor, The Works of Thomas Jefferson […], federal edition, volume XII, New York, N.Y.; London: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons […], published 1905, →OCLC, pages 59–60

   The church of England was no longer exasperated against them; if there was ever any prosecution, it was to screen the king from the reproach of the puritans. They drew a flattering picture of the resipiscence of the Anglican party; who are come to acknowledge the truth in some articles, and differ in others rather verbally than in substance, or in points not fundamental; […]

   1827, Henry Hallam, “From the Dissolution of Charles [I]’s Third Parliament to the Meeting of the Long Parliament”, 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 525

2. literaryuncountableusuallyThe act of becoming comprehending, reasonable or responsible, especially after having behaved in an uncomprehending, unreasonable, or irresponsible manner; the act of coming to one's senses; (countable) an instance of this.

   All this is, Busner thinks, still inadequate to the task of expressing the quality of her resipiscence – a return to good health of a miraculous nature.

   2012, Will Self, Umbrella, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, published 2013, →ISBN, page 211

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   The most urgent thing to do seems to be that we come all together in having at once our Ministers in France give a joint declaration or like and simultaneous declarations which may bring to their senses the leaders of the violent party [behind the French Revolution] and avert desperate decisions by still leaving open to them a way for honest resipiscence and the peaceful establishment of a condition of things in France that will at least save the dignity of the Crown and the essential consideration of general tranquillity, […]

   1928 December 17, J[oshua] Reuben Clark, quoting Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, “The Grand Alliance and the Holy Alliance [Leopold II to the Empress of Russia, the Electress of Mayence, and the Kings of England, Prussia, Spain, Sicily, and Sardinia]”, in Memorandum on the Monroe Doctrine, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, published 1930, →OCLC, pages 45–46

   This return-to-oneself, resipiscence, 'rebirth,' is an infinitely dramatic and moving event, especially in a patient with a rich and full self, who has been dispossessed by disease for years or decades […] That a return to health or resipiscence is possible, in these patients with half a century of the profoundest illness, must fill one with a sense of amazement—that the potential for health and self can survive, after so much of the life and structure of the person has been lost, and after so long and exclusive an immersion in sickness.

   1973, Oliver Sacks, “[Perspectives] Awakening”, in Awakenings, London: Picador, published 2011, →ISBN

   On June 16, 1993, the UN voted the embargo on petroleum and arms. With Bazin gone, there was not even a puppet government. After eighty-nine weeks (and how many thousands of hours of verbiage), the international community was finally headed in the only direction that might bring the military to resipiscence.

   1996, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, “Hope”, in Carrol F. Coates, transl., Dignity, Charlottesville, Va.; London: University Press of Virginia, →ISBN, page 123