different between acknowledge vs acclaim

English

Alternative forms

• acknowledg (obsolete)
• acknowelege (obsolete)

Etymology

Recorded since 1553, a blend of Middle English knowlechen (“to discover, reveal, acknowledge”) and aknowen (“to recognize, acknowledge”); the latter from Old English oncn?wan, ?cn?wan (“to know, recognize, acknowledge”), from on + cn?wan (“to know”). Notice the preservation of /k/ word-internally (regularly spelled with ck as in back) while being lost word-initially. The prefix might have been influenced by Anglo-Norman a- (“on-, to-”). See knowledge.

For the formation compare Latin agn?sc? and Russian ????????? (priznát?), with cognate roots.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?n?.l?d?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æk?n??.l?d?/, [?k?n??l?d?], [?k?n??l?d?], [???n??l?d?], [???n??l?d?]
• Hyphenation US: ac?knowl?edge, UK: ac?know?ledge

Verb

acknowledge (third-person singular simple present acknowledges, present participle acknowledging, simple past and past participle acknowledged)

1. (transitive) To admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in
   • 1611, King James Version, Psalm 51:3

     I acknowledge my transgressions.

   • 1849, Thomas Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James II, Chapter 1

     For ends generally acknowledged to be good.
2. To own or recognize in a particular quality, character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to.
   • 1611, King James Version, Proverbs 3:6

     In all thy ways acknowledge Him.

   • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, III-v

     By my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee.

3. To be grateful of (e.g. a benefit or a favour)
4. To report (the receipt of a message to its sender).

5. To own as genuine or valid; to assent to (a legal instrument) to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form.

Usage notes

• Acknowledge is opposed to keep back, or conceal, and supposes that something had been previously known to us (though perhaps not to others) which we now feel bound to lay open or make public. Thus, a man acknowledges a secret marriage; one who has done wrong acknowledges his fault; and author acknowledges his obligation to those who have aided him; we acknowledge our ignorance.
• Recognize supposes that we have either forgotten or not had the evidence of a thing distinctly before our minds, but that now we know it (as it were) anew, or receive and admit it on the grounds of the evidence it brings. Thus, we recognize a friend after a long absence. We recognize facts, principles, truths, etc., when their evidence is brought up fresh to the mind. A foreign minister, consul, or agent, of any kind, is recognized on the ground of his producing satisfactory credentials.
• See also confess

Synonyms

• avow, proclaim, recognize, own, admit, allow, concede, confess

Derived terms

Related terms

• acknowledgment

Translations

References

• acknowledge in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?.?kle?m/
• Rhymes: -e?m

Etymology 1

• First attested in the early 14th century.
• (to applaud): First attested in the 1630s.
• Borrowed from Latin accl?m? (“raise a cry at; applaud”), formed from ad- + cl?m? (“cry out, shout”).

Verb

acclaim (third-person singular simple present acclaims, present participle acclaiming, simple past and past participle acclaimed)

1. (archaic, transitive) To shout; to call out.
2. (transitive) To express great approval (for).
   • 1911, Saki, The Chronicles of Clovis

     The design, when finally developed, was a slight disappointment to Monsieur Deplis, who had suspected Icarus of being a fortress taken by Wallenstein in the Thirty Years' War, but he was more than satisfied with the execution of the work, which was acclaimed by all who had the privilege of seeing it as Pincini's masterpiece.

3. (transitive, rare) To salute or praise with great approval; to compliment; to applaud; to welcome enthusiastically.
   • 1748, James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence

     a glad acclaiming train

4. (transitive, obsolete) To claim.
5. (transitive) To declare by acclamations.
6. (Canada, politics) To elect to an office by having no opposition.

Derived terms

• acclaimable
• acclaimer

Related terms

Translations

Etymology 2

• First attested in 1667.

Noun

acclaim (countable and uncountable, plural acclaims)

1. (poetic) An acclamation; a shout of applause.
2. (obsolete) A claim.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:applause

Translations

Anagrams

• malacic