a. [ For allerliefest dearest of all. See Lief. ] Most beloved. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Superl. of Chief. ] First or foremost; chief; principal. [ Archaic ] “Our chiefest courtier.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The chiefest among ten thousand. Canticles v. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Confessed p. pr. & vb. n. Confessing. ] [ F. confesser, fr. L. confessus, p. p. of confiteri to confess; con- + fateri to confess; akin to fari to speak. See 2d Ban, Fame. ] 1. To make acknowledgment or avowal in a matter pertaining to one's self; to acknowledge, own, or admit, as a crime, a fault, a debt. [ 1913 Webster ]

And there confess
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess, also, before my Father which is in heaven. Matt. x. 32. [ 1913 Webster ]

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Acts xxiii. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To admit as true; to assent to; to acknowledge, as after a previous doubt, denial, or concealment. [ 1913 Webster ]

I never gave it him. Send for him hither,
And let him confess a truth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

As I confess it needs must be. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

As an actor confessed without rival to shine. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Eccl.) (a) To make known or acknowledge, as one's sins to a priest, in order to receive absolution; -- sometimes followed by the reflexive pronoun. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our beautiful votary took an opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father. Addison.

(b) To hear or receive such confession; -- said of a priest. [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . heard mass, and the prince, his son, with him, and the most part of his company were confessed. Ld. Berners. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To disclose or reveal, as an effect discloses its cause; to prove; to attest. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mold. Pope.

Syn. -- Admit; grant; concede; avow; own; assent; recognize; prove; exhibit; attest. -- To Confess, Acknowledge, Avow. Acknowledge is opposed to conceal. We acknowledge what we feel must or ought to be made known. (See Acknowledge.) Avow is opposed to withhold. We avow when we make an open and public declaration, as against obloquy or opposition; as, to avow one's principles; to avow one's participation in some act. Confess is opposed to deny. We confess (in the ordinary sense of the word) what we feel to have been wrong; as, to confess one's errors or faults. We sometimes use confess and acknowledge when there is no admission of our being in the wrong; as, this, I confess, is my opinion; I acknowledge I have always thought so; but in these cases we mean simply to imply that others may perhaps think us in the wrong, and hence we use the words by way of deference to their opinions. It was in this way that the early Christians were led to use the Latin confiteor and confessio fidei to denote the public declaration of their faith in Christianity; and hence the corresponding use in English of the verb confess and the noun confession. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make confession; to disclose sins or faults, or the state of the conscience. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every tongue shall confess to God. Rom. xiv. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To acknowledge; to admit; to concede. [ 1913 Webster ]

But since
(And I confess with right) you think me bound. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. confessant. ] One who confesses to a priest. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. confessarius. ] One who makes a confession. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By confession; without denial. [ Written also confessly. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes a confession. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. confession, L. confessio. ] 1. Acknowledgment; avowal, especially in a matter pertaining to one's self; the admission of a debt, obligation, or crime. [ 1913 Webster ]

With a crafty madness keeps aloof,
When we would bring him on to some confession
Of his true state. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Acknowledgment of belief; profession of one's faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

With the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. x. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eccl.) The act of disclosing sins or faults to a priest in order to obtain sacramental absolution. [ 1913 Webster ]

Auricular confession . . . or the private and special confession of sins to a priest for the purpose of obtaining his absolution. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) 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 extrajudical confession may be explained or rebutted. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confession and avoidance (Law), a mode of pleading in which the party confesses the facts as stated by his adversary, but alleges some new matter by way of avoiding the legal effect claimed for them. Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confession of faith, a formulary containing the articles of faith; a creed. --
General confession, the confession of sins made by a number of persons in common, as in public prayer. --
Westminster Confession. See Westminster Assembly, under Assembly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. confessional. ] The recess, seat, or inclosed place, where a priest sits to hear confessions; often a small structure furnished with a seat for the priest and with a window or aperture so that the penitent who is outside may whisper into the priest's ear without being seen by him or heard by others. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to a confession of faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confessional equality, equality before the law of persons confessing different creeds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Eccl.) An exaggerated estimate of the importance of giving full assent to any particular formula of the Christian faith. Shaff. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A priest hearing, or sitting to hear, confession. [ R. ] Boucher [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. confessionarium. ] A confessional. [ Obs. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to auricular confession; as, a confessionary litany. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. confessioniste. ] One professing a certain faith. Bp. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. confessor, F. confesseur, fr. L. & LL. confessor. ] 1. One who confesses; one who acknowledges a fault, or the truth of a charge, at the risk of suffering; specifically, one who confesses himself a follower of Christ and endures persecution for his faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

He who dies for religion is a martyr; he who suffers for it is a confessor. Latham. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our religion which hath been sealed with the blood of so many martyrs and confessors. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A priest who hears the confessions of others and is authorized to grant them absolution. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or state of suffering persecution for religious faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our duty to contend even to confessorship. J. H. Newman. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. See Cofessedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. contrefaisance, fr. contrefaire. See Counterfeit, a. ] The act of forging; forgery. [ Obs. ] [ Written also counterfaisance. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To renounce the profession or pursuit of. [ 1913 Webster ]

His arms, which he had vowed to disprofess. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To fester. [ Obs. ] “Enfestered sores.” Davies (Holy Roode). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Foreign to a profession; not within the ordinary limits of professional duty or business. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. Fescenninus, fr. Fescennia, a city of Etruria. ] Pertaining to, or resembling, the Fescennines. -- n. A style of low, scurrilous, obscene poetry originating in fescennia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. festu, OF. festu, F. fétu, fr. L. festuca stalk, straw. ] 1. A straw, wire, stick, etc., used chiefly to point out letters to children when learning to read. “Pedantic fescue.” Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

To come under the fescue of an imprimatur. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An instrument for playing on the harp; a plectrum. [ Obs. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The style of a dial. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Bot.) A grass of the genus Festuca. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fescue grass (Bot.), a genus of grasses (Festuca) containing several species of importance in agriculture. Festuca ovina is sheep's fescue; F. elatior is meadow fescue. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. & t. [ imp. & p. p. Fescued p. pr. & vb. n. Fescuing. ] To use a fescue, or teach with a fescue. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ Written also fasels. ] See Phasel. [ Obs. ] May (Georgics).

{ } n. [ OF. fesse, faisse, F. fasce, fr. L. fascia band. See Fascia. ] (Her.) A band drawn horizontally across the center of an escutcheon, and containing in breadth the third part of it; one of the nine honorable ordinaries. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fess point (Her.), the exact center of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. fessus wearied, fatigued. ] Weariness. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In the manner of fess. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Fist. ] The fist. [ Obs. ] Chaucer.

a. [ L. festum holiday, feast. See feast. ] Of or pertaining to a holiday or a feast; joyous; festive. [ 1913 Webster ]

You bless with choicer wine the festal day. Francis. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Joyously; festively; mirthfully. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ n. } A feast. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fescennine. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Festered p. pr. & vb. n. Festering. ] [ OE. festern, fr. fester, n.; or fr. OF. festrir, fr. festre, n. See Fester, n. ] 1. To generate pus; to become imflamed and suppurate; as, a sore or a wound festers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wounds immedicable
Rankle, and fester, and gangrene. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Unkindness may give a wound that shall bleed and smart, but it is treachery that makes it fester. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hatred . . . festered in the hearts of the children of the soil. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be inflamed; to grow virulent, or malignant; to grow in intensity; to rankle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cause to fester or rankle. [ 1913 Webster ]

For which I burnt in inward, swelt'ring hate,
And festered ranking malice in my breast. Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. festre, L. fistula a sort of ulcer. Cf. Fistula. ] 1. A small sore which becomes inflamed and discharges corrupt matter; a pustule. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A festering or rankling. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fester of the chain their necks. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A festering. [ R. ] Chalmers. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OF. festier, festeer, F. festoyer. ] To feast; to entertain. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. festinatus, p. p. of festinare to hasten. ] Hasty; hurried. [ Obs. ] -- Fes"ti*nate*ly, adv. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. festinatio. ] Haste; hurry. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OF. festival, fr. L. festivum festive jollity, fr. festivus festive, gay. See Festive. ] Pertaining to a fest; festive; festal; appropriate to a festival; joyous; mirthful. [ 1913 Webster ]

I cannot woo in festival terms. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A time of feasting or celebration; an anniversary day of joy, civil or religious. [ 1913 Webster ]

The morning trumpets festival proclaimed. Milton.

Syn. -- Feast; banquet; carousal. See Feast. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. festivus, fr. festum holiday, feast. See feast, and cf. Festivous. ] Pertaining to, or becoming, a feast; festal; joyous; gay; mirthful; sportive. -- Fes"tive*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

The glad circle round them yield their souls
To festive mirth and wit that knows no gall. Thomson. [1913 Webster]

n.; pl. Festivities [ L. festivitas: cf. F. festivité. ] 1. The condition of being festive; social joy or exhilaration of spirits at an entertaintment; joyfulness; gayety. [ 1913 Webster ]

The unrestrained festivity of the rustic youth. Bp. Hurd. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A festival; a festive celebration. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Festive. ] Pertaining to a feast; festive. [ R. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Feast, n. ] Festive; fond of festive occasions. [ Obs. ] “A festlich man.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. feston (cf. Sp. feston, It. festone), prob. fr. L. festum festival. See Feast. ] 1. A garland or wreath hanging in a depending curve, used in decoration for festivals, etc.; anything arranged in this way. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch. & Sculp.) A carved ornament consisting of flowers, and leaves, intermixed or twisted together, wound with a ribbon, and hanging or depending in a natural curve. See Illust. of Bucranium. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Festooned p. pr. & vb. n. Festooning. ] To form in festoons, or to adorn with festoons. [ 1913 Webster ]