| 释义 |
con·fess
I. \kənˈfes\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-es)
Etymology: Middle English confessen, from Middle French confesser, from Old French, from confes having confessed, from Latin confessus, past participle of confitēri to confess, from com- + -fitēri (from fatēri to acknowledge, confess); akin to Latin fari to speak — more at ban
transitive verb
1. : to tell of or make known (something private, hidden, or damaging to oneself) : admit, acknowledge
< confess an error >
< he confessed his debt >
< I confess myself a traditionalist — R.W.Chapman >
2.
a. : to make known or acknowledge (one's sins) especially to God or to a priest in order to receive absolution
b. : to relieve (oneself) of the burden of sin by confessing (as to God or a priest)
c. of a priest : to receive the confession of (a penitent) : administer confession to
3. : to admit as true : assent to : acknowledge especially after a previous doubt, denial, or concealment : concede
< you know perfectly well you've got a stomach ache, if you'd only confess it — W.F.de Morgan >
4. : to acknowledge one's faith in : acknowledge as one's belief : avow
< many of the churchgoers and confessed Christians are grossly ignorant of the chief doctrines of their faith — Humanist >
5. : to disclose or reveal as an effect discloses its cause : prove, attest, manifest
< and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of Thy peace — J.G.Whittier >
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to disclose one's sins or faults or the state of one's conscience especially to God or to a priest
b. of a priest : to hear confession : shrive
2. : admit, own
< confess to a crime >
Synonyms: see acknowledge
•
- confess judgment
II. noun
(-es)
Etymology: probably from confess (I)
: an English country-dance for six persons |