Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON-FERV'A, n.

In botany, hair-weed, or sea-weed, an aquatic plant.

CONF-ESS', v.i.

To make confession; to disclose faults, or the state of the conscience; as, this man went to the priest to confess.

CON-FESS', v.t. [Fr. confesser; It. confessare; Sp. confesar; Port. confessar; from L. confiteor, confessum; con and fateor, to own or acknowledge; Ir. faoisdin.]

1. To own, acknowledge or avow, as a crime, a fault, a charge, a debt, or something that is against one's interest, or reputation; as, I confess the argument against me is good, and not easily refuted; let us frankly confess our sins. Human faults with human grief confess. – Prior. “Confess thee freely of thy sins,” used by Shakspeare, is not legitimate, unless in the sense of Catholics.
2. In the Romish Church, to acknowledge sins and faults to a priest; to disclose the state of the conscience to a priest, in private, with a view to absolution; sometimes with the reciprocal pronoun. The beautiful votary confessed herself to this celebrated father. – Addison.
3. To own, avow or acknowledge; publicly to declare a belief in and adherence to. Whoever shall confess me before men. – Matth. x.
4. To own and acknowledge, as true disciples, friends or children. Him will I confess before my Father who is in heaven. – Matth. x.
5. To own; to acknowledge; to declare to be true, or to admit or assent to in words; opposed to deny. Then will I confess to thee that thy own right hand can save thee. – Job xl. These … confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. – Heb. xi.
6. To show by the effect; to prove; to attest. Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mold. – Pope.
7. To hear or receive the confession of another; as, the priest confessed the nuns.

CON-FESS'ANT, n.

One who confesses to a priest. – Bacon.

CON-FESS'A-RY, n.

One who makes a confession. [Not used.] – Hall.

CON-FESS'ED, pp.

Owned; acknowledged; declared to be true; admitted in words; avowed; admitted to disclose to priest.

CON-FESS'ED-LY, adv.

1. By confession, or acknowledgment; avowedly; undeniably. Demosthenes was confessedly the greatest orator in Greece.
2. With avowed purpose; as, his object was confessedly to secure to himself a benefice.

CON-FESS'ING, ppr.

Owning; avowing; declaring to be true or real; granting or admitting by assent; receiving disclosure of sins, or the state of the conscience of another.

CON-FES'SION, n.

1. The acknowledgment of a crime, fault, or something to one's disadvantage; open declaration of guilt, failure, debt, accusation, &c. With the mouth confession is made to salvation. – Rom. x.
2. Avowal; the act of acknowledging; profession. Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. – 1 Tim. vi.
3. The act of disclosing sins or faults to a priest; the disburdening of the conscience privately to a confessor; sometimes called auricular confession.
4. A formulary in which the articles of faith are comprised; a creed to be assented to or signed, as a preliminary to admission into a church.
5. The acknowledgment of a debt by a debtor before a justice of the peace, &c., on which judgment is entered and execution issued.

CON-FES'SION-AL, n.

The seat where a priest or confessor sits to hear confessions; a confession-chair.

CON-FES'SION-A-RY, a.

Pertaining to auricular confession.

CON-FES'SION-A-RY, n. [Sp. confesionario.]

A confession-chair, as above.

CON-FES'SION-IST, n.

One who makes a profession of faith. – Mountagu.

CON-FESS'OR, n. [Fr. confesseur; Sp. confesor.]

1. One who confesses; one who acknowledges his sins.
2. One who makes a profession of his faith in the Christian religion. The word is appropriately used to denote one who avows his religion in the face of danger, and adheres to it, in defiance of persecution and torture. It was formerly used as synonymous with martyr; afterwards it was applied to those who, having been persecuted and tormented, were permitted to die in peace. It was used also for such Christians as lived a good life, and died with the reputation of sanctity. – Encyc.
3. A priest; one who hears the confessions of others, and has power to grant them absolution. – Romish Church.

CON-FEST', pp. [for confessed.]

Owned; open; acknowledged; apparent; not disputed.

CON-FEST'LY, adv. [for confessedly.]

Avowedly; indisputably. [Little used.]

CON'FI-DANT, n.

See CONFIDENT.

CON-FIDE', v.t.

To intrust; to commit to the charge of, with a belief in the fidelity of the person intrusted; to deliver, into possession of another, with assurance of safe keeping, or good management; followed by to. We confide a secret to a friend. The common interests of the United States are confided to the Congress. The prince confided with his envoy. They would take the property out of the hands of those to whom it was confided by the charter. – Hopkinson. Congress may, under the constitution, confide to the circuit court, jurisdiction of all offenses against the United States. – Judge Story.

CON-FIDE', v.t. [L. confido; con and fido, to trust; It. confidare; Sp. Port. confiar; Fr. confier; Arm. fizyout. See Faith.]

To trust; to rely on, with a persuasion of faithfulness or veracity in the person trusted or of the reality of a fact; to give credit to; to believe in, with assurance; followed by in. The prince confides in his ministers. The minister confides in the strength and resources of the nation. We confide in the veracity of the sacred historians. We confide in the truth of a report.

CON-FID'ED, pp.

Intrusted; committed to the care of, for preservation, or for performance or exercise.

CON'FI-DENCE, n. [L. confidentia; It. confidenza; Sp. confianza; Fr. confiance; confidence. See Confide.]

1. A trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact. Mutual confidence is the basis of social happiness. I place confidence in a statement, or in an official report. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man. – Ps. cxviii. I rejoice that I have confidence in you in all things. – 2 Cor. vii.
2. Trust; reliance; applied to one's own abilities, or fortune; belief in one's own competency. His times being rather prosperous than calm, had raised his confidence by success. – Bacon.
3. That in which trust is placed; ground of trust; he or that which supports. Israel was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence. – Jer. xlviii. Jehovah shall be thy confidence. – Prov. iii.
4. Safety, or assurance of safety; security. They shall build houses and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence. – Ezek. xxviii.
5. Boldness; courage. Preaching the kingdom of God with all confidence. – Acts xxviii.
6. Excessive boldness; assurance, proceeding from vanity or a false opinion of one's own abilities, or excellencies. Their confidence ariseth from too much credit given to their own wits. – Hooker.

CON'FI-DENT, a.

1. Having full belief; trusting; relying; fully assured; as, the troops rush on, confident of success. I am confident that much may be done toward the improvement of philosophy. – Boyle.
2. Positive; dogmatical; as, a confident talker.
3. Trusting; without suspicion. Rome, be as just and gracious unto me, / As I am confident and kind to thee. – Shak.
4. Bold to a vice; having an excess of assurance. The fool rageth and is confident. Prov. xiv.

CON'FI-DENT, n.

One intrusted with secrets; a confidential or bosom friend. – Dryden. Coxe. Mitford. [This word has been usually, but improperly, written confidant. I have followed the regular English orthography, as Coxe and Mitford have done.]

CON-FI-DEN'TIAL, a.

1. Enjoying the confidence of another; trusty; that may be safely trusted; as, a confidential friend.
2. That is to be treated or kept in confidence; private; as, a confidential matter.
3. Admitted to special confidence.

CON-FI-DEN'TIAL-LY, adv.

In confidence; in reliance or secrecy.