acknowledge

acknowledge
transitive verb (-edged; -edging) 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
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • acknowledge — 1 Acknowledge, admit, own, avow, confess are synonymous when they mean to disclose something against one’s will or inclination. All usually imply some sort of pressure as that of the law or of conscience leading to the disclosure. Acknowledge or… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • acknowledge — ac*knowl edge ([a^]k*n[o^]l [e^]j), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {acknowledged} ([a^]k*n[o^]l [e^]jd); p. pr. & vb. n. {acknowledging} ([a^]k*n[o^]l [e^]j*[i^]ng).] [Prob. fr. pref. a + the verb knowledge. See {Knowledge}, and cf. {Acknow}.] 1. To own or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • acknowledge — ac·knowl·edge vt edged, edg·ing 1: to indicate recognition and acceptance of the power of taxation in the general and state governments is acknowledged to be concurrent McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819) 2 a: to show by word or act that… …   Law dictionary

  • acknowledge — ac‧knowl‧edge [əkˈnɒlɪdʒ ǁ ˈnɑː ] verb [transitive] 1. to tell someone that you have received something such as a letter they have sent to you: • We shall be grateful if you will kindly acknowledge receipt of this letter. 2. to admit or accept… …   Financial and business terms

  • acknowledge — [v1] verbally recognize authority accede, accept, acquiesce, agree, allow, approve, attest to, certify, defend, defer to, endorse, grant, own, ratify, recognize, subscribe to, support, take an oath, uphold, yield; concepts 8,50,88 Ant. forswear,… …   New thesaurus

  • acknowledge — [ak näl′ij, əknäl′ij] vt. acknowledged, acknowledging [earlier aknowledge < ME knowlechen < knowleche (see KNOWLEDGE): infl. by ME aknowen < OE oncnawan, to understand, know, with Latinized prefix] 1. to admit to be true or as stated;… …   English World dictionary

  • acknowledge — (v.) 1550s, a blend of Middle English aknow (from O.E. oncnawan understand, from on + cnawan recognize; see KNOW (Cf. know)) and Middle English knowlechen admit, acknowledge (c.1200; see KNOWLEDGE (Cf. knowledge)). In the merger, a parasitic c… …   Etymology dictionary

  • acknowledge — ► VERB 1) accept or admit the existence or truth of. 2) confirm receipt of or gratitude for. 3) greet with words or gestures. ORIGIN from the obsolete verb knowledge (in the same sense) …   English terms dictionary

  • acknowledge */*/ — UK [əkˈnɒlɪdʒ] / US [əkˈnɑlɪdʒ] verb [transitive] Word forms acknowledge : present tense I/you/we/they acknowledge he/she/it acknowledges present participle acknowledging past tense acknowledged past participle acknowledged 1) a) to accept or… …   English dictionary

  • acknowledge — ac|knowl|edge W3S3 [əkˈnɔlıdʒ US ˈna: ] v [T] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(admit)¦ 2¦(recognize something s importance)¦ 3¦(accept somebody s authority)¦ 4¦(thank)¦ 5¦(show you notice somebody)¦ 6¦(say you have received something)¦ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [Date: 1400 1500; Origin …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • acknowledge — acknowledgeable, adj. acknowledger, n. /ak nol ij/, v.t., acknowledged, acknowledging. 1. to admit to be real or true; recognize the existence, truth, or fact of: to acknowledge one s mistakes. 2. to show or express recognition or realization of …   Universalium

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