To own, acknowledge or avow, as a crime, a fault, a charge, a debt, or something that is against one’s interest, or reputation. Human faults with human grief confess. I confess the argument against me is good and not easily refuted. Let us frankly confess our sins. “Confess thee freely of thy sins,” used by Shakespeare, is not legitimate, unless in the sense of Catholics.

In the Catholic Church, to acknowledge sins and faults to a priest; to disclose the state of the conscience to a priest, in private, with a view to absolution; sometimes with the reciprocal pronoun. The beautiful votary confessed herself to this celebrated father.

To own, avow or acknowledge; publicly to declare a belief in and adherence to. Whoever shall confess me before men. Matthew 10:32.

To own and acknowledge, as true disciples, friends or children. Him will I confess before my father who is heaven.

To own; to acknowledge; to declare to be true, or to admit or assent to in words; opposed to deny. Then will I confess to thee, that thine own right hand can save thee. Job 40:14. These--confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth. Hebrews 11:13.

To show by the effect; to prove; to attest. Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mold.

To hear or receive the confession of another; as, the priest confessed the nuns.

To make confession; to disclose faults, or the state of the conscience; as, this man went to the priest to confess.