Tra từ confess - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

con·fess [confess confesses confessed confessing] BrE [kənˈfes] NAmE [kənˈfes] verb
1. intransitive, transitive to admit, especially formally or to the police, that you have done sth wrong or illegal
•After hours of questioning, the suspect confessed.
•~ to sth/to doing sth She confessed to the murder.
•~ (that)… He confessed that he had stolen the money.
•~ sth We persuaded her to confess her crime.
2. intransitive, transitive to admit sth that you feel ashamed or embarrassed about
•~ sth She was reluctant to confess her ignorance.
•~ to sth/to doing sth I must confess to knowing nothing about computers.
•~ (that)… I confess (that) I know nothing about computers.
•+ speech ‘I know nothing about them,’ he confessed.
•~ yourself + adj. (formal)I confess myself bewildered by their explanation.
see also ↑self-confessed
3. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) (to sb) (especially in the Roman Catholic Church)to tell God or a priest about the bad things you have done so that you can say that you are sorry and be forgiven
4. transitive ~ sb (of a priest)to hear sb confess their ↑sins (= the bad things they have done)
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French confesser, from Latin confessus, past participle of confiteri ‘acknowledge’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + fateri ‘declare, avow’.

Synonyms:
admit
acknowledge • recognize • concede • confess
These words all mean to agree, often unwillingly, that sth is true.
admit • to agree, often unwillingly, that sth is true: ▪ It was a stupid thing to do, I admit.
acknowledge • (rather formal) to accept that sth exists, is true or has happened: ▪ She refuses to acknowledge the need for reform.
recognize • to admit or be aware that sth exists or is true: ▪ They recognized the need to take the problem seriously.
concede • (rather formal) to admit, often unwillingly, that sth is true or logical: ▪ He was forced to concede (that) there might be difficulties.
admit or concede?
When sb admits sth, they are usually agreeing that sth which is generally considered bad or wrong is true or has happened, especially when it relates to their own actions. When sb concedes sth, they are usually accepting, unwillingly, that a particular fact or statement is true or logical.
confess • (rather formal) to admit sth that you feel ashamed or embarrassed about: ▪ She was reluctant to confess her ignorance.
to admit/acknowledge/recognize/concede/confess that…
to admit/confess to sth
to admit/concede/confess sth to sb
to admit/acknowledge/recognize the truth
to admit/confess your mistakes/ignorance

Example Bank:
•I must confess that I didn't have much faith in her ideas.
•She confessed to me that she had known his true identity for some time.
•I must confess to knowing nothing about computers.
•They had confessed their sins and done their penance.