Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
Confess — Con*fess , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Confessed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Confessing}.] [F. confesser, fr. L. confessus, p. p. of confiteri to confess; con + fateri to confess; akin to fari to speak. See 2d {Ban}, {Fame}.] 1. To make acknowledgment or avowal… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
confess — con·fess /kən fes/ vt: to admit (as a charge or allegation) as true, proven, or valid unless you answer, the petition shall be taken as confessed vi: to make a confession con·fes·sor /kən fe sər/ n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law … Law dictionary
Confess — Con*fess , v. i. 1. To make confession; to disclose sins or faults, or the state of the conscience. [1913 Webster] Every tongue shall confess to God. Rom. xiv. 11. [1913 Webster] 2. To acknowledge; to admit; to concede. [1913 Webster] But since… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
confess — [kən fes′] vt. [ME confessen < OFr confesser < ML(Ec) * confessare < L confessus, pp. of confiteri, to acknowledge, confess < com , together + fateri, to acknowledge; akin to fari, to speak: see FAME] 1. a) to admit (a fault or crime) … English World dictionary
confess — late 14c., from O.Fr. confesser (trans. and intrans.), from V.L. *confessare, from L. confess , pp. stem of confiteri to acknowledge, from com together (see COM (Cf. com )) + fateri to admit, akin to fari speak (see FAME … Etymology dictionary
confess to — To admit, acknowledge • • • Main Entry: ↑confess … Useful english dictionary
confess — avow, *acknowledge, admit, own Analogous words: *grant, concede, allow: disclose, divulge, *reveal, discover: *declare, proclaim, publish Antonyms: renounce (one s beliefs, principles) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
confess — [v] admit, confirm acknowledge, affirm, allow, assert, attest, aver, avow, blow, blurt out, chirp, clue in, come clean*, come out, concede, confide, declare, disclose, divulge, dump on*, evince, finger*, fink*, grant, humble oneself, leak*, let… … New thesaurus
confess — ► VERB 1) admit to a crime or wrongdoing. 2) acknowledge reluctantly. 3) declare one s sins formally to a priest. 4) (of a priest) hear the confession of. ORIGIN Old French confesser, from Latin confiteri acknowledge … English terms dictionary
confess */*/ — UK [kənˈfes] / US verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms confess : present tense I/you/we/they confess he/she/it confesses present participle confessing past tense confessed past participle confessed 1) a) to admit that you have committed a… … English dictionary
confess — con|fess [kənˈfes] v [I and T] [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: confesser, from Latin confiteri to confess , from com ( COM ) + fateri to confess ] 1.) to admit, especially to the police, that you have done something wrong or illegal… … Dictionary of contemporary English
