v.
Pronunciation: ik- ' nä-lij, ak-
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: -edged ; -edg · ing
Etymology: ac- (as in accord ) + knowledge
Date: 15th century
1 : to recognize the rights, authority, or status of
2 : to disclose knowledge of or agreement with
3 a : to express gratitude or obligation for < acknowledge a gift> b : to take notice of <failed to acknowledge my greeting> c : to make known the receipt of < acknowledge a letter>
4 : to recognize as genuine or valid < acknowledge a debt>
synonyms ACKNOWLEDGE , ADMIT , OWN , AVOW , CONFESS mean to disclose against one's will or inclination. ACKNOWLEDGE implies the disclosing of something that has been or might be concealed < acknowledged an earlier peccadillo>. ADMIT implies reluctance to disclose, grant, or concede and refers usually to facts rather than their implications < admitted the project was over budget>. OWN implies acknowledging something in close relation to oneself <must own I know little about computers>. AVOW implies boldly declaring, often in the face of hostility, what one might be expected to be silent about < avowed that he was a revolutionary>. CONFESS may apply to an admission of a weakness, failure, omission, or guilt < confessed a weakness for sweets>.