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Guilt
Definitions
- 1 Obsolete form of gilt (“gilded”) alt-of, not-comparable, obsolete
"Two silver monteths, two large fflaggons, two large tankards, two silver salvers, a voyder and a knyfe, two silver salts, two guilt bolls of the like size, one other boll, three silver bolls, in all 24 pieces guilt and unguilt."
- 1 Responsibility for wrongdoing. uncountable, usually
- 2 remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense wordnet
- 3 The state of having been found guilty or admitted guilt in legal proceedings. uncountable, usually
- 4 the state of having committed an offense wordnet
- 5 Regret for having done wrong. uncountable, usually
"Appropriate guilt is experienced when we actually do something objectively wrong—for example, exploit another, betray a trust, and so on. […] Inappropriate guilt occurs from believing a lie and is resolved by an application of the truth."
- 1 To commit offenses; act criminally. intransitive, obsolete
- 2 To cause someone to feel guilt, particularly in order to influence their behaviour. informal, transitive
"He didn't want to do it, but his wife guilted him into it."
Etymology
From Middle English gilt, gult, from Old English gylt (“guilt, sin, offense, crime, fault”), of obscure origin, but possibly related with Old English ġieldan (“to pay, requite, punish”), whence yield. More specifically it could be connected with Proto-West Germanic *guldijā, whence Middle Low German gülde, Middle High German gülte (“debt, fee, financial duty”). However, neither the Old English stem form nor the -t (instead of -d) fit the continental form.
From Middle English gilten, gylten, from Old English gyltan (“to commit sin, be guilty”), from gylt (“guilt, sin, offense, crime, fault”).
From Etymology 1.
See also for "guilt"
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