Pronunciation
- IPA: /kənˈfɛs/
confess (confesses, present participle confessing; past and past participle confessed)
To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed. - I confess to spray-painting all over that mural!
- I confess, that I am a sinner.
- c. 1603–1604, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene ii]:
- I never gave it him. Send for him hither, / And let him confess a truth.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book 9”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:
- And there confess / Humbly our faults, and pardon beg.
- 1705 (revised 1718), Joseph Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy
- I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned.
- To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Matthew 10:32 ↗:
- Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess, also, before my Father which is in heaven.
Bible, Acts xxiii. 8 - For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
- (religion) To unburden (oneself) of sins to God or a priest, in order to receive absolution.
- Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father.
- (religion) To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
- 1523–1525, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (translator), Froissart's Chronicles
- He […] heard mass, and the prince, his son, with him, and the most part of his company were confessed.
- 1523–1525, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (translator), Froissart's Chronicles
To disclose or reveal. - 1725, Homer; [Alexander Pope], transl., “Book VII”, in The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume II, London: Printed for Bernard Lintot, OCLC 8736646 ↗:
- Tall thriving trees confess;d the fruitful mould.
- French: avouer, confesser
- German: gestehen, bekennen, verraten
- Italian: confessare
- Portuguese: confessar
- Russian: созна́ться
- Spanish: confesar
- German: beichten
- French: confesser
- Portuguese: confessar
- Russian: созна́ться
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