confess
/kən'fes/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To admit that one has done something wrong or illegal: To formally or informally acknowledge one's own fault, crime, or mistake.
- To declare one's sins formally to a priest or to God: In a religious context, especially in Christianity, to tell a priest or pray to God about the sins one has committed.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- After hours of questioning, the suspect finally decided to confess to the crime.
- She confessed that she had broken the vase while playing ball in the house.
- Many Catholics go to church to confess their sins to a priest.
Advanced Usage
"confess to (something/doing something)": To admit to a specific act or wrongdoing.
- He confessed to stealing the documents.
- She confessed to feeling nervous about the presentation.
"I must confess...": A phrase used to introduce an admission, often of a minor fault, opinion, or feeling.
- I must confess, I didn't really enjoy the movie.
- I have to confess I ate the last piece of cake.
Variants and Related Words
Confession (n): The act of confessing or the thing that is confessed.
- He made a full confession to the police.
- Her confession of guilt surprised everyone.
Confessor (n): A priest who hears confessions; or, a person who confesses.
- He spoke to his confessor about his troubles.
Synonyms
- Admit: To agree that something is true, especially reluctantly.
- Own up: To confess to something, often informally.
- Acknowledge: To accept or admit the existence or truth of something.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
- Confess to: This is the primary construction. It is used with a noun or a gerund (-ing form) to specify the wrongdoing.
- He confessed to the murder.
- She confessed to taking the money.
Related Idioms
Confess all: To confess everything, to make a full and complete confession.
- Under pressure, the spy decided to confess all.
A clean confession is good for the soul: (Proverb) Suggesting that admitting your faults will make you feel better mentally or spiritually.
- Don't carry the guilt; remember, a clean confession is good for the soul.
Verb
- confess to God in the presence of a priest, as in the Catholic faith
- admit (to a wrongdoing)
- She confessed that she had taken the money
- confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure