Carene
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Synonym of carenum (“reduction of must or sweet wine in ancient European cuisine”). historical, obsolete, rare, uncountable
- 2 A 40-day fast or period of similar abstinence. historical, rare
- 3 The lower portion of a marine animal's shell, covering its mantle. obsolete
- 4 An indulgence from 40 days of fasting or similar abstinence, especially during Lent; (later) various equivalent indulgences against punishment in Purgatory. historical, rare
"You have with much labour, and some charge, purchased to your self so many Quadragenes or Lents of pardon; that is, you have bought off the penances of so many times forty dayes. It is well; but were you well advised, it may be your Quadragenes are not Carenes; that is, are not a quitting the severest penances of fasting so long in bread and water; for there is great difference in the manner of keeping a penitential Lent, and it may be you have purchased but some lighter thing; and then if your demerit arise to so many Carenes, and you purchased but mere Quadragenes, without a minute and table of particulars, you may stay longer in Purgatory than you expected... And they that read... will soon perceive that all this is but a handful of smoke, when you hold it, you hold it not."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"You have with much labour, and some charge, purchased to your self so many Quadragenes or Lents of pardon; that is, you have bought off the penances of so many times forty dayes. It is well; but were you well advised, it may be your Quadragenes are not Carenes; that is, are not a quitting the severest penances of fasting so long in bread and water; for there is great difference in the manner of keeping a penitential Lent, and it may be you have purchased but some lighter thing; and then if your demerit arise to so many Carenes, and you purchased but mere Quadragenes, without a minute and table of particulars, you may stay longer in Purgatory than you expected... And they that read... will soon perceive that all this is but a handful of smoke, when you hold it, you hold it not."
Etymology
From Latin carēnum or caroenum, from Ancient Greek κάροινον (károinon), q.v.
From Medieval Latin carēna (“40-day fast; remission of such a fast”), from Late Latin quadragēna (“40-day period, Lent”) or quarantena (“40-day period”), from Latin quadrāgēnus (“40 each”), from quadrāgintā (“four tens, forty”). Doublet of quadragene.
From French carène (“keel”), from Latin carīna (“keel”).
More for "carene"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.