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Confess
Definitions
- 1 To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed. intransitive, transitive
"I confess to spray-painting all over that mural!"
- 2 admit (to a wrongdoing) wordnet
- 3 To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in. transitive
"Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess, also, before my Father which is in heaven."
- 4 confess to God in the presence of a priest, as in the Catholic faith wordnet
- 5 To unburden (oneself) of sins to God or a priest, in order to receive absolution.
"If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull, & iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse."
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- 6 confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure wordnet
- 7 To hear or receive such a confession of sins from. transitive
"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."
- 8 To disclose or reveal. transitive
"Tall thriving trees confess;d the fruitful mould."
- 9 To profess one's love. intransitive
Etymology
From Middle English confessen, from Anglo-Norman confesser, from Old French confesser, from Latin confessus (Old French confés), past participle of cōnfiteor (“I confess, I admit”) from con- + fateor (“I admit”). Displaced Middle English andetten (“to confess, admit”) (from Old English andettan). Doublet of confiteor. Sense 6 is a calque of 告白 (kokuhaku).
See also for "confess"
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