1. (n.) Acknowledgment; avowal, especially in a matter pertaining to one's self; the admission of a debt, obligation, or crime.

2. (n.) Acknowledgment of belief; profession of one's faith.

3. (n.) The act of disclosing sins or faults to a priest in order to obtain sacramental absolution.

4. (n.) A formulary in which the articles of faith are comprised; a creed to be assented to or signed, as a preliminary to admission to membership of a church; a confession of faith.

5. (n.) An admission by a party to whom an act is imputed, in relation to such act. A judicial confession settles the issue to which it applies; an extrajudicial confession may be explained or rebutted.

abject apology acceptance acknowledgment adherents admission agape allowance apology appreciation asperges aspersion auricular confession avowal bar mitzvah bas mitzvah breast-beating by-line celebration church circumcision citation class communion concession confession of faith confirmation contrition credit line declaration declaration of faith denomination disciples excuse faith followers high celebration incense invocation invocation of saints ism kiss of peace lesser litany litany love feast lustration mea culpa order owning owning up pax penitence persuasion processional profession reciting the rosary recognition reference regrets rite of confession school sect shrift signature telling of beads the confessional the confessionary trademark tribute unbosoming