fess

1 [fes]
noun Heraldry.
an ordinary in the form of a broad horizontal band across the middle of an escutcheon.
Also, fesse.


Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English fesse < Anglo-FrenchLatin fascia fascia

Dictionary.com Unabridged

fess

2 [fes]
fess up, Informal. to admit or concede, especially freely.

Origin:
1830–40; aphetic shortening of confess

00:10
Fess is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

fess

3 [fes]
noun Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.
a teacher.
Also, fes·sor.


Origin:
shortening of professor

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
fess (fɛs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb (foll by up)
informal chiefly (US) to make a confession
 
[C19: shortened from confess]

fesse or fess (fɛs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
heraldry an ordinary consisting of a horizontal band across a shield, conventionally occupying a third of its length and being wider than a bar
 
[C15: from Anglo-French fesse, from Latin fascia band, fillet]
 
fess or fess
 
n
 
[C15: from Anglo-French fesse, from Latin fascia band, fillet]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

fess
aphetic form of confess, attested by 1840, Amer.Eng. Related: Fessed; fesses; fessing.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
fess
confess
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
But let's fess up to the fact that diplomatic prudence trumps veracity.
One of the lessons is you ought to fess up to your problems right away and try to confront them.
But several researchers have found it surprisingly easy to make people fess up to invented misdemeanours.
So make sure you fess up, without getting emotional about it.
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