B2verb · transitive · rare

confess

confess · confesses · confessed · confessing

мати, володіти

признаться, сознаться, признать, покаяться

verraten, gestehen, bekennen, beichten

To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committedTo admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.

ⓘ

/kənˈfɛs/

» Did Tom confess to killing Mary?

Том сознался в убийстве Мэри?

Том сознался, что он убил Мэри?

Том зізнався в убивстві Мері?

Meaning

6 senses

(intransitive, transitive)To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.
I confess to spray-painting all over that mural!
I confess that I am a sinner.
gestehen, bekennen, verraten
созна́тьсяsoznátʹsja, призна́тьсяpriznátʹsja, пока́ятьсяpokájatʹsja
(transitive)To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
To unburden (oneself) of sins to God or a priest, in order to receive absolution.
confess to God in the presence of a priest, as in the Catholic faith
(transitive)To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
1523–1525, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (translator), Froissart's Chronicles He […] heard mass, and the prince, his son, with him, and the most part of his company were confessed.
(transitive)To disclose or reveal.
beichten
испове́доватьсяispovédovatʹsja, испове́датьсяispovédatʹsja, созна́тьсяsoznátʹsja
(intransitive)To profess one's love.

Examples

477 sentences

Did Tom confess to killing Mary?
Том зізнався в убивстві Мері?
ruТом сознался в убийстве Мэри?
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Tom confessed that he had killed Mary.
Том зізнався, що він убив Мері.
ruТом признался, что убил Мэри.
deTom gestand, Maria ermordet zu haben.
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I think Tom is going to confess.
Гадаю, Том зізнається.
ruЯ думаю, Том признается.
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I confessed my sin.
Я зізнався у своєму гріху.
ruЯ сознался в своём грехе.
deIch habe meine Sünde gebeichtet.
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I'm ready to confess.
Я готовий сповідатися.
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Translations

8 languages

Русский

By meaning 2

to admit to the truth:

to disclose everything to a Catholic priest:

Deutsch

By meaning 2

to admit to the truth:

to disclose everything to a Catholic priest:

Origin

From Middle English confessen, from Anglo-Norman confesser, from Old French confesser, fro

From Middle English confessen, from Anglo-Norman confesser, from Old French confesser, from Latin confessus (Old French confés), past participle of cōnfiteor (“to confess, admit”) from con- + fateor (“to admit”). Displaced Middle English andetten (“to confess, admit”) (from Old English andettan). Doublet of confiteor.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

confesses, confessing, confessed, confessed

Base form	confess · to confess
3rd person singular	confesses
Present participle	confessing
Past simple	confessed
Past participle	confessed

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, they	confess
he, she, it	confesses

Past simpleLesson

all persons

confessed

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, they	have confessed
he, she, it	has confessed

Future simple (will)Lesson

all persons

will confess

Synonyms

25 synonyms

acknowledgeB1 admitA2 concedeB2 ownB1 singA1 talkA1 assent avow beknow come clean fess fess up front up make a clean breast

Close in meaning

confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure:squeal fink
admit (to a wrongdoing):concede profess

Antonyms

6 antonyms

abjure denyB1 disavow disclaim disown rejectB1

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle

Collocations

4 patterns

going to confess
confessed to killing
finally confessed
confessed to the