Definition of "confess"

confess

/kənˈfɛs/

verb
third-person singular simple present confesses, present participle confessing, simple past and past participle confessed
1. (intransitive, transitive) To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.
  Quotations
  I never gave it him. Send for him hither, / And let him confess a truth.
  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, [Act V, scene ii]
  And there confess / Humbly our faults, and pardon beg.
  1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned.
  1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
2. (transitive) To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
  Quotations
  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, […], Matthew 10:32
  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Acts 23:8
3. (religion) To unburden (oneself) of sins to God or a priest, in order to receive absolution.
  Quotations
  If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull, & iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1 John 1:9
  Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father.
  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
4. (religion) To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
  Quotations
  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
  A jealous man confesses his wife under a priest's habit, who tells him that she is visited every night by a friar; […]
  1867, W. K. Kelly, The Decameron: or ten day's entertainment of Boccaccio. A revised translation‎
5. (transitive) To disclose or reveal.
  Quotations
  Tall thriving trees confess;d the fruitful mould.
  1725, Homer, “Book VII”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume II, London: […] Bernard Lintot

Definition of "confess"

confess

verb

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