Commentary:
NOTE: Compare to sense 3. In this sense the thing being confessed is always a negative idea or action that could have some type of repercussion
Examples:
A Michigan man accused of murdering his wife confessed to the crime.
The suspect has confessed to planting the bomb on a German train.
The students confessed to eating the last cookie.
Mappings:
VerbNet: confess-37.10,say-37.7-1
FrameNet: Reveal_secret
PropBank: confess.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 2
Commentary:
NOTE: This sense may be seen as a subset of sense 1
NOTE: Usage is specific to a religious domain
Examples:
Do I need to confess confessed sins?
Placing his hands upon the scapegoat, he confessed over him all these sins.
David had some serious sins that he confessed to the Lord in the Psalms.
Mappings:
VerbNet: confess-37.10
FrameNet: Reveal_secret
PropBank: confess.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3
Commentary:
NOTE: Compare to sense 1. This sense DOES NOT apply to wrong actions, but rather lack of knowledge or reluctance to admit.
Examples:
I have to confess that I've always been skeptical of his plan.
From the TV, I have to confess Germany is an open country.
She confessed that, although her husband rides the bus, she doesn't know much about the bus route.
One day, a clerk earnestly confessed how much he enjoyed my columns.
Mappings:
VerbNet: say-37.7-1
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: confess.01