confess
English edit
Etymology edit
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.
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
confess (third-person singular simple present confesses, present participle confessing, simple past and past participle confessed)
- (intransitive, transitive) 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 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
- I never gave it him. Send for him hither, / And let him confess a truth.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- And there confess / Humbly our faults, and pardon beg.
- 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
- I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned.
- (transitive) To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 10:32:
- Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess, also, before my Father which is in heaven.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 23:8:
- 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.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 John 1:9:
- If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull, & iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse.
- 1710 September 18 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, September 7, 1710”, in The Spectator, number 1647; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
- 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.
- 1867, W. K. Kelly, The Decameron: or ten day's entertainment of Boccaccio. A revised translation[1]:
- A jealous man confesses his wife under a priest's habit, who tells him that she is visited every night by a friar; […]
- 1523–1525, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (translator), Froissart's Chronicles
- (transitive) To disclose or reveal.
- 1725, Homer, “Book VII”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume II, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
- Tall thriving trees confess;d the fruitful mould.
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
to admit to the truth
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to disclose everything to a Catholic priest
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to acknowledge faith in
to disclose or reveal
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