Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SIN, v.i. [Sax. singian, syngian.]

1. To depart voluntarily from the path of duty prescribed by God to man; to violate the divine law in any particular, by actual transgression or by the neglect or non-observance of its injunctions; to violate any known rule of duty. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. – Rom. iii. It is followed by against. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned. – Ps. li.
2. To offend against right, against men or society; to trespass. I am a man / More sinn'd against than sinning. – Shak. And who but wishes to invert the laws / Of order, sins against th' eternal cause. – Pope.