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Confess vs Confessing - What's the difference?

confess | confessing |

As verbs the difference between confess and confessing

is that confess is (to admit to the truth) To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed while confessing is present participle of confess.

As a noun confessing is

the act of making a confession.

confess

English

Verb

(es)
  • (senseid) To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.
    • People confess to anything under torture.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I never gave it him. Send for him hither, / And let him confess a truth.
  • * Milton
    • And there confess / Humbly our faults, and pardon beg.
  • * Addison
    • I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned.
  • To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
  • * Bible, Matthew x. 32
    • Whosoever, therefore, shall confess' me before men, him will I ' confess , also, before my Father which is in heaven.
  • * Bible, Acts xxiii. 8
    • For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
  • (religion) To unburden (oneself) of sins to a priest, in order to receive absolution.
  • * Addison
    • Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father.
  • (religion) To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
  • * Ld. Berners
    • He heard mass, and the prince, his son, with him, and the most part of his company were confessed .
  • (senseid) To disclose or reveal.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mould.

    Related terms

    * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Derived terms

    * (l), (l)

    See also

    * own up * come clean

    confessing

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of making a confession.
  • * 1871 , William Gilbert, The Struggle in Ferrara: A Story of the Reformation in Italy (page 100)
    • He further urged the advantage of keeping alive in the hearts of the people the necessity for appeasing the divine wrath by prayers in the churches, processions, frequent confessings