confess
释义
To admit that you have done something wrong or illegal.
承认（做错事或犯罪），坦白
To admit something you feel embarrassed about, or reluctantly.
（不好意思地）承认，坦言
To disclose one's sins formally to a priest.
向神父告解，忏悔
词根拆分
词根派生con-（完全、彻底）+ fess（说、承认）= 把某事完整说出，毫无保留。说出口的往往是过错或秘密，所以"坦白"既背负负罪感，又带有终于说出来的释然。
词根 fess 还连着 23 个词使用指南
表示供认时用 confess to + 名词/-ing：confess to the crime、confess to cheating。也可用 confess that...（confess that you were wrong），或用 "I must confess..." 作为坦言前的缓冲语。宗教义：confess your sins（向神父告解）。
例句
- 1.
After hours of questioning, the suspect finally confessed to the robbery.
经过几小时审讯，嫌疑人终于承认了抢劫。
- 2.
I must confess I've never actually read the book.
我得承认，我其实从没读过那本书。
- 3.
She confessed her feelings to him in a long letter.
她在一封长信里向他坦白了自己的感情。
近义词对比
- confess — 承认过错、罪过或秘密，常带负罪感：confess to lying
- admit — 中性、最通用；承认某事属实：admit you were late
- acknowledge — 正式，接受事实或某人角色：acknowledge the mistake
- own up — 非正式，为过错担责：own up to breaking it
- disclose — 披露此前隐藏的信息：disclose financial details