v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Confessed p. pr. & vb. n. Confessing. ] [ F. confesser, fr. L. confessus, p. p. of confiteri to confess; con- + fateri to confess; akin to fari to speak. See 2d Ban, Fame. ] 1. To make acknowledgment or avowal in a matter pertaining to one's self; to acknowledge, own, or admit, as a crime, a fault, a debt. [ 1913 Webster ]

And there confess
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess, also, before my Father which is in heaven. Matt. x. 32. [ 1913 Webster ]

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Acts xxiii. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To admit as true; to assent to; to acknowledge, as after a previous doubt, denial, or concealment. [ 1913 Webster ]

I never gave it him. Send for him hither,
And let him confess a truth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

As I confess it needs must be. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

As an actor confessed without rival to shine. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Eccl.) (a) To make known or acknowledge, as one's sins to a priest, in order to receive absolution; -- sometimes followed by the reflexive pronoun. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father. Addison.

(b) To hear or receive such confession; -- said of a priest. [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . heard mass, and the prince, his son, with him, and the most part of his company were confessed. Ld. Berners. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To disclose or reveal, as an effect discloses its cause; to prove; to attest. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mold. Pope.

Syn. -- Admit; grant; concede; avow; own; assent; recognize; prove; exhibit; attest. -- To Confess, Acknowledge, Avow. Acknowledge is opposed to conceal. We acknowledge what we feel must or ought to be made known. (See Acknowledge.) Avow is opposed to withhold. We avow when we make an open and public declaration, as against obloquy or opposition; as, to avow one's principles; to avow one's participation in some act. Confess is opposed to deny. We confess (in the ordinary sense of the word) what we feel to have been wrong; as, to confess one's errors or faults. We sometimes use confess and acknowledge when there is no admission of our being in the wrong; as, this, I confess, is my opinion; I acknowledge I have always thought so; but in these cases we mean simply to imply that others may perhaps think us in the wrong, and hence we use the words by way of deference to their opinions. It was in this way that the early Christians were led to use the Latin confiteor and confessio fidei to denote the public declaration of their faith in Christianity; and hence the corresponding use in English of the verb confess and the noun confession. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make confession; to disclose sins or faults, or the state of the conscience. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every tongue shall confess to God. Rom. xiv. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To acknowledge; to admit; to concede. [ 1913 Webster ]

But since
(And I confess with right) you think me bound. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. confessant. ] One who confesses to a priest. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. confessarius. ] One who makes a confession. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By confession; without denial. [ Written also confessly. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes a confession. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. confession, L. confessio. ] 1. Acknowledgment; avowal, especially in a matter pertaining to one's self; the admission of a debt, obligation, or crime. [ 1913 Webster ]

With a crafty madness keeps aloof,
When we would bring him on to some confession
Of his true state. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Acknowledgment of belief; profession of one's faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

With the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. x. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eccl.) The act of disclosing sins or faults to a priest in order to obtain sacramental absolution. [ 1913 Webster ]

Auricular confession . . . or the private and special confession of sins to a priest for the purpose of obtaining his absolution. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A formulary in which the articles of faith are comprised; a creed to be assented to or signed, as a preliminary to admission to membership of a church; a confession of faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) An admission by a party to whom an act is imputed, in relation to such act. A judicial confession settles the issue to which it applies; an extrajudical confession may be explained or rebutted. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confession and avoidance (Law), a mode of pleading in which the party confesses the facts as stated by his adversary, but alleges some new matter by way of avoiding the legal effect claimed for them. Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confession of faith, a formulary containing the articles of faith; a creed. --
General confession, the confession of sins made by a number of persons in common, as in public prayer. --
Westminster Confession. See Westminster Assembly, under Assembly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. confessional. ] The recess, seat, or inclosed place, where a priest sits to hear confessions; often a small structure furnished with a seat for the priest and with a window or aperture so that the penitent who is outside may whisper into the priest's ear without being seen by him or heard by others. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to a confession of faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confessional equality, equality before the law of persons confessing different creeds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Eccl.) An exaggerated estimate of the importance of giving full assent to any particular formula of the Christian faith. Shaff. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A priest hearing, or sitting to hear, confession. [ R. ] Boucher [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. confessionarium. ] A confessional. [ Obs. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to auricular confession; as, a confessionary litany. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. confessioniste. ] One professing a certain faith. Bp. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. confessor, F. confesseur, fr. L. & LL. confessor. ] 1. One who confesses; one who acknowledges a fault, or the truth of a charge, at the risk of suffering; specifically, one who confesses himself a follower of Christ and endures persecution for his faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

He who dies for religion is a martyr; he who suffers for it is a confessor. Latham. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our religion which hath been sealed with the blood of so many martyrs and confessors. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A priest who hears the confessions of others and is authorized to grant them absolution. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or state of suffering persecution for religious faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our duty to contend even to confessorship. J. H. Newman. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To renounce the profession or pursuit of. [ 1913 Webster ]

His arms, which he had vowed to disprofess. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Foreign to a profession; not within the ordinary limits of professional duty or business. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ OF. fesse, faisse, F. fasce, fr. L. fascia band. See Fascia. ] (Her.) A band drawn horizontally across the center of an escutcheon, and containing in breadth the third part of it; one of the nine honorable ordinaries. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fess point (Her.), the exact center of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. fessus wearied, fatigued. ] Weariness. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In the manner of fess. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make a false profession; to make pretensions to skill which is not possessed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make a false profession of. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Not belonging to a profession. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not done by, or proceeding from, professional men; contrary to professional usage; unprofessional. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Professed p. pr. & vb. n. Professing. ] [ F. profès, masc., professe, fem., professed (monk or nun), L. professus, p. p. of profiteri to profess; pro before, forward + fateri to confess, own. See Confess. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To make open declaration of, as of one's knowledge, belief, action, etc.; to avow or acknowledge; to confess publicly; to own or admit freely. “Hear me profess sincerely.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The best and wisest of them all professed
To know this only, that he nothing knew. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of. [ 1913 Webster ]

I do profess to be no less than I seem. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one's self versed in; to make one's self a teacher or practitioner of, to set up as an authority respecting; to declare (one's self to be such); as, he professes surgery; to profess one's self a physician. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To declare friendship. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Openly declared, avowed, acknowledged, or claimed; as, a professed foe; a professed tyrant; a professed Christian. [ 1913 Webster ]

The professed (R. C. Ch.) , a certain class among the Jesuits bound by a special vow. See the note under Jesuit. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By profession. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. professio. See Profess, v. ] 1. The act of professing or claiming; open declaration; public avowal or acknowledgment; as, professions of friendship; a profession of faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

A solemn vow, promise, and profession. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which one professed; a declaration; an avowal; a claim; as, his professions are insincere. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Indians quickly perceive the coincidence or the contradiction between professions and conduct. J. Morse. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That of which one professed knowledge; the occupation, if not mechanical, agricultural, or the like, to which one devotes one's self; the business which one professes to understand, and to follow for subsistence; calling; vocation; employment; as, the profession of arms; the profession of a clergyman, lawyer, or physician; the profession of lecturer on chemistry. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hi tried five or six professions in turn. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The three professions, or learned professions, are, especially, theology, law, and medicine. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The collective body of persons engaged in a calling; as, the profession distrust him. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Eccl. Law.) The act of entering, or becoming a member of, a religious order. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to a profession, or calling; conforming to the rules or standards of a profession; following a profession; as, professional knowledge; professional conduct. “Pride, not personal, but professional.” Macaulay. “A professional sneerer.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Engaged in by professionals; as, a professional race; -- opposed to amateur. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who prosecutes anything professionally, or for a livelihood, and not in the character of an amateur; a professional worker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The following of a profession, sport, etc., as an occupation; -- opposed to amateurism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. professional person. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a professional manner or capacity; by profession or calling; in the exercise of one's profession; one employed professionally. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., a teacher, a public teacher: cf. F. professeur. See Profess. ] 1. One who professed, or makes open declaration of, his sentiments or opinions; especially, one who makes a public avowal of his belief in the Scriptures and his faith in Christ, and thus unites himself to the visible church. “Professors of religion.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who professed, or publicly teaches, any science or branch of learning; especially, an officer in a university, college, or other seminary, whose business it is to read lectures, or instruct students, in a particular branch of learning; as a professor of theology, of botany, of mathematics, or of political economy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. professorius: cf. F. professorial. ] Of or pertaining to a professor; as, the professional chair; professional interest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The character, manners, or habits of a professor. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Professoriate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The body of professors, or the professorial staff, in a university or college. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A professorship. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office or position of a professor, or public teacher. Walton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. professorius. ] Of or pertaining to a professor; professorial. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]

See obnoxious.
See observable.
See observant.
See obstructive.
See obvious.
See official.
See officious.
See oppressive.
See ordinary.
See ordinate.
See original.
See ornamental.
See orthodox.
See ostentatious.
See pacifiable.
See pacific.
See painful.
See palatable.
See parallelable.
See pardonable.
See partable.
See participant.
See passionate.
See pastoral.
See pathetic.
See patriotic.
See peaceable.
See peaceful.
See pedantic.
See perceivable.
See perceptible.
See perilous.
See permanent.
See personable.
See perspirable.
See persuadable.
See persuasive.
See philanthropic.
See philosophic.
See philosophical.
See physical.
See picturesque.
See pierceable.
See pitiful.
See plain.
See plausible.
See plausive.
See pleadable.
See pleasurable.
See pliable.
See pliant.
See plumb.
See poetic.
See poetical.
See political.
See popular.
See populous.
See portable.
See potable.
See precarious.
See precise.
See pregnant.
See prejudicate.
See prelatical.
See premeditable.
See presentable.
See preservable.
See presumptuous.
See pretentious.
See pretty.
See prevalent.
See priestly.
See primitive.
See princely.
See procurable.
See producible.
See productive.
See professional.
See profitable.
See prolific.
See pronounceable.
See prophetic.
See propitious.
See proportionable.
See proportionate.
See prosperous.
See provable.
See punctilious.
See punctual.
See punishable.
See pure.
See qualifiable.
See quenchable.
See quiet.
See rational.
See readable.
See reasonable.
See recallable.
See reclaimable.
See recognizable.
See reconcilable.
See recoverable.
See recumbent.
See reformable.
See refusable.
See regardable.
See regardant.
See relative.
See relievable.
See reluctant.
See remarkable.
See remediable.
See rememberable.
See remorseful.
See removable.
See remunerative.
See repairable.
See repealable.
See repentant.
See reprovable.
See repugnant.
See requisite.
See requitable.
See resolvable.
See respectable.
See restful.
See retentive.
See returnable.
See revengeful.
See ridable.
See ridiculous.
See rightful.
See romantic.
See rough.
See royal.
See ruinable.
See ruly.
See sacrificial.
See safe.
See sage.
See sailable.
See salable.
See sane.
See sanguine.
See sanitary.
See satisfactory.
See satisfiable.
See saturable.
See savory.
See scalable.
See scaly.
See scholarly.
See scholastic.
See scientific.
See scornful.
See scriptural.
See sculptural.
See seaworthy.
See sectarian.
See secular.
See sedentary.
See selfish.
See sentient.
See sentimental.
See serviceable.
See severe.
See shamefaced.
See shamefast.
See shapely.
See shy.
See sick.
See sicker.
See sightly.
See simple.
See sinewy.
See sizable.
See sleek.
See slumberous.
See sly.
See smooth.
See smotherable.
See smutty.
See sober.
See sociable.
See social.
See solemn.
See soliciutous.
See solvable.
See speakable.
See speedy.
See spiritual.
See spontaneous.
See sportful.
See sportsmanlike.
See statutable.
See steadfast.
See steady.
See stormy.
See stout.
See strong.
See subduable.
See subject.
See submissive.
See subordinate.
See substantial.
See successive.
See succorable.
See suggestive.
See suitable.
See sunny.
See superfluous.
See supple.
See sure.
See surpassable.
See susceptible.
See suspect.
See suspectable.
See suspicious.
See sustainable.
See sweet.
See syllogistical.
See symbolic.
See sympathetic.
See systematic.
See tamable.
See tame.
See teachable.
See technical.
See tellable.
See tenable.
See tender.
See terrestrial.
See terrific.
See thankful.
See theological.
See thinkable.
See thirsty.
See thorny.
See thoughtful.
See tidy.
See tillable.
See toothsome.
See touchable.
See traceable.
See tractable.
See tragic.
See tranquil.
See transferable.
See translatable.
See transmutable.
See transparent.
See transpassable.
See traversable.
See tremulous.
See trimphant.
See trustworthy.
See trusty.
See tumultous.
See tunable.
See uniform.
See usable.
See useful.
See vanquishable.
See variant.
See venerable.
See venomous.
See veracious.
See verdant.
See veritable.
See vigilant.
See vigorous.
See virtuous.
See vital.
See vitrifiable.
See vocal.
See voidable.
See voluptuous.
See voyageable.
See vulgar.
See walkable.
See warlike.
See watchful.
See watery.
See wealthy.
See wearable.
See weary.
See welcome.
See wet.
See wholesome.
See wieldsome.
See willful.
See wily.
See witty.
See womanly.
See workable.
See workmanlike.
See worldly.
See worshipful.
See wrathful.
See writable.
See zealous.
------ and the like.
[ 1913 Webster ]