Confess

Confess, kon-fes′, v.t. to acknowledge fully, esp. something wrong: to own or admit: to make known, as sins to a priest: to hear a confession, as a priest.—v.i. to make confession.—ns. Confes′sion, acknowledgment of a crime or fault: avowal; a statement of one's religious belief: acknowledgment of sin to a priest; Confes′sional, the seat or enclosed recess where a priest hears confessions.—adj. pertaining to confession.—ns. Confes′sionalism; Confes′sionalist.—adj. Confes′sionary, of or belonging to confession.—n. a confessional.—ns. Confess′or, one who professes the Christian faith, or a priest who hears confessions and grants absolution: one who endures persecution but not death:—fem. Confess′oress; Confess′orship.—adjs. Confessed′, Confest′, admitted: avowed: evident.—advs. Confess′edly, Confest′ly.—Confession of Faith, a formulary embodying the religious beliefs of a church or sect: a creed.—Confess to, to admit, acknowledge; Stand confessed, to be revealed. [Fr. confesser—L. confitēri, confessus—con, sig. completeness, and fatēri—fāri, to speak.]