[kuh
n-fes] 
| 1. | to acknowledge or avow (a fault, crime, misdeed, weakness, etc.) by way of revelation. |
| 2. | to own or admit as true: I must confess that I haven't read the book. |
| 3. | to declare or acknowledge (one's sins), esp. to God or a priest in order to obtain absolution. |
| 4. | (of a priest) to hear the confession of (a person). |
| 5. | to acknowledge one's belief or faith in; declare adherence to. |
| 6. | to reveal by circumstances. |
| 7. | to make confession; plead guilty; own: to confess to a crime. |
| 8. | to make confession of sins, esp. to a priest. |
| 9. | (of a priest) to hear confession. |
| con·fess (kən-fěs') v. con·fessed, con·fess·ing, con·fess·es v. tr.
[Middle English confessen, from Old French confesser, from Vulgar Latin *cōnfessāre, from Latin cōnfitērī, cōnfess- : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + fatērī, to admit; see bhā-2 in Indo-European roots.] con·fess'a·ble adj., con·fess'ed·ly (-ĭd-lē) adv. |