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Confession vs Acknowledge - What's the difference?

confession | acknowledge |

As a noun confession

is the open admittance of having done something (especially of something bad).

As a verb acknowledge is

to admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in; as, to acknowledge the being of a god.

confession

English

Noun

(wikipedia confession) (en noun)
  • The open admittance of having done something (especially of something bad).
    • Without the real murderer's confession , an innocent person will go to jail.
  • * Shakespeare
    • With a crafty madness keeps aloof, / When we would bring him on to some confession / Of his true state.
  • A formal document providing such an admission.
    • He forced me to sign a confession !
  • (Roman Catholicism) the disclosure of one's sins to a priest for absolution. Now termed the sacrament of reconciliation.
    • I went to confession and now I feel much better about what I had done.
  • * (First Folio ed.)
    • Hauing di?plea?'d my Father, to Lawrence Cell, / To make confe??ion , and to be ab?olu'd.
  • Acknowledgment of belief; profession of one's faith.
  • * Bible, Rom. x. 10
    • With the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
  • A formula 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.

    • Derived terms

    * confessional * nonconfession

    Related terms

    * confess

    acknowledge

    English

    Alternative forms

    * acknowledg (obsolete)

    Verb

    (acknowledg)
  • To admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in; as, to acknowledge the being of a god.
  • :* I acknowledge my transgressions. - ''Psalm 51:3 .
  • :* ''For ends generally acknowledged to be good. -
  • To own or recognize in a particular quality, character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to.
  • :* In all thy ways acknowledge Him. - ''Proverbs 3:6
  • :* By my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee. - , III-v
  • To own with gratitude or as a benefit or an obligation; as, to acknowledge a favor.
  • :* ''They his gifts acknowledged none. -
  • To notify receipt, as of a letter.
  • To own as genuine or valid; to assent to, as a legal instrument, to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form; as, to acknowledge a deed.

    • Usage notes

    * Acknowledge'' is opposed to keep back, or conceal, and supposes that something had been previously known to us (though perhaps not to others) which we now feel bound to lay open or make public. Thus, a man ''acknowledges'' a secret marriage; one who has done wrong ''acknowledges'' his fault; and author ''acknowledges'' his obligation to those who have aided him; we ''acknowledge our ignorance. * Recognize'' supposes that we have either forgotten or not had the evidence of a thing distinctly before our minds, but that now we know it (as it were) anew, or receive and admit in on the ground of the evidence it brings. Thus, we ''recognize'' a friend after a long absence. We ''recognize'' facts, principles, truths, etc., when their evidence is brought up fresh to the mind; as, bad men usually ''recognize'' the providence of God in seasons of danger. A foreign minister, consul, or agent, of any kind, is ''recognized on the ground of his producing satisfactory credentials. * See also confess

    Synonyms

    * avow, proclaim, recognize, own, admit, allow, concede, confess

    Derived terms

    * acknowledgeable * acknowledged * acknowledgedly * acknowledge the corn * acknowledged

    Related terms

    * acknowledgment

    References

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