(~es, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
If someone ~es to doing something wrong, they admit that they did it.
He had ~ed to seventeen murders...
I had expected her to ~ that she only wrote these books for the money...
Most rape victims ~ a feeling of helplessness...
Ray changed his mind, claiming that he had been forced into ~ing...
‘I played a very bad match,’ he ~ed.
= admit
? deny
VERB: V to n/-ing, V that, V n, V, V with quote
2.
If someone ~es or ~es their sins, they tell God or a priest about their sins so that they can be forgiven.
You just go to the church and ~ your sins...
Once we have ~ed our failures and mistakes to God, we should stop feeling guilty.
VERB: V n, V n to n
3.
You use expressions like ‘I ~’, ‘I must ~’, or ‘I have to ~’ to apologize slightly for admitting something you are ashamed of or that you think might offend or annoy someone.
I ~ it’s got me baffled...
I must ~ I’m not a great enthusiast for long political programmes.
= admit
PHRASE: PHR with cl politeness