Shrōve'-tide or Shrōve'-Tues'day, n.

n. [From shrove, imp. of shrive, to take a confession. See TIDE and TUESDAY.] The Tuesday following Quinquagesima Sunday, and preceding the first day of Lent, or Ash-Wednesday.

☞ It was formerly customary in England, on this day, for the people to confess their sins, one by one, to their parish priests, after which they dined on pancakes or fritters, and the occasion became one of merriment. The bell rung on this day is vulgarly called pancake-bell, and the day itself Pancake-Tuesday. P. Cyc. Brande.