ETYM Old Fren. penance, peneance, Latin paenitentia repentance. Related to Penitence.
1. A Catholic sacrament; repentance and confession and satisfaction and absolution.
2. Voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for some wrongdoing; SYN. self-mortification, self-abasement.
Roman Catholic sacrament, involving confession of sins and receiving absolution, and works performed (or punishment self-inflicted) in atonement for sin. Penance is worked out nowadays in terms of good deeds rather than routine repetition of prayers.

To impose penance on