Other forms: shrifts
Use the noun shrift to describe the act of confessing, especially to a priest.
Shrift is an old-fashioned way to talk about the traditional religious ritual of confession and absolution. Shrift comes from the equally antique word shrive, which is what a priest does when he hears a confession. The phrase "short shrift" began as a description of the brief chance a condemned prisoner had to confess his sins before being put to death, and evolved to mean "to dismiss with little consideration."