英漢辭典

1. vt. (及物動詞 transitive verb)
   1. 供認(罪行等),坦白,自白;承認

   A fault confessed is half redressed.

   【諺】承認錯誤等於改正了一半

   to confess the truth

   說實話

   He who denies all confesses all.

   【諺】否認一切等於承認一切.

   He confessed himself (to be) guilty.

   他(表示)認罪

   I confess I was surprised to hear it.

   【口】這實在是教我吃驚

   I must [have to] confess I hate this government.

   我得承認我恨這個政府

2. 2. [詩] 證明,表明

3. 3. 表白(信奉);表明對…的信仰[忠誠等]

   confess Christ

   表示信仰基督.

4. 4. (為得到寬恕而向上帝、神父等)懺悔(罪惡),告(罪)

5. 5. (神父)聽(懺悔),(告罪);為…辦告解

   The priest confessed her.

   神父聽了她的懺悔.



6. vi. (不及物動詞 intransitive verb)
   1. 坦白;供認,承認

   I confess to having committed the crime.

   我供認犯了罪

   I confess to (having) a dread of spiders.

   我承認害怕蜘蛛.

7. 2. 坦白信仰;懺悔,告罪;聽懺悔,當告解神父

柯林斯英英辭典

vb

1. [when tr, may take a clause as object] [when intr, often foll by to] to make an acknowledgment or admission (of faults, misdeeds, crimes, etc)

vt. (transitive verb)

1. [tr] to admit or grant to be true; concede

2. [Christianity] [chiefly RC Church] to declare (one's sins) to God or to a priest as his representative, so as to obtain pardon and absolution

3. [Etymology] C14: from Old French confesser, from Late Latin confessare, from Latin confessus confessed, from confiteri to admit, from fateri to acknowledge; related to Latin fari to speak