different between confer vs admit

English

Etymology

From Early Modern English conferre, from Middle French conférer, from Old French conferer, from Latin c?nfer?. Compare Dutch confereren (“to confer”), German konferieren (“to confer”), Danish konferere (“to confer”), Swedish konferera (“to confer”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /k?n?f??/, [k?????f?]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k?n?f??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)

Verb

confer (third-person singular simple present confers, present participle conferring, simple past and past participle conferred)

1. (transitive) To grant as a possession; to bestow. [from 16th c.]

   The college has conferred an honorary degree upon the visiting Prime Minister.

   • 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes

     Nor shall I count in hainous to enjoy
     The public marks of honour and reward
     Conferr'd upon me […]

   • 2010, Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer, 7 Feb 2010:

     The special immunities that are conferred on MPs were framed with the essential purpose of allowing them to speak freely in parliament.
2. (intransitive) To talk together, to consult, discuss; to deliberate. [from 16th c.]

   They were in a huddle, conferring about something.

   • 1974, "A Traveler's Perils", Time, 25 Mar 1974:

     Local buttons popped when Henry Kissinger visited Little Rock last month to confer with Fulbright on the Middle East oil talks.

3. (obsolete) To compare. [16th–18th c.]
   • 1557 (book title):

     The Newe Testament ... Conferred diligently with the Greke, and best approued translations.

   • 1661, Robert Boyle, The Second Essay, of Unsucceeding Experiments

     If we confer these observations with others of the like nature, we may find cause to rectify the general opinion.

4. (obsolete, transitive) To bring together; to collect, gather. [16th–17th c.]
5. (obsolete) To contribute; to conduce. [16th–18th c.]
   • 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica

     The closeness and compactness of the parts resting together doth much confer to the strength of the union.

Synonyms

• (to grant, bestow, or contribute): afford

Derived terms

• conferment
• conferrable
• conferral
• agreement conferring jurisdiction

Related terms

• cf, cf.
• conference
• collate
• collation

Translations

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?kon.fer/, [?kõ?f?r]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?kon.fer/, [?k?nf?r]

Verb

c?nfer

1. second-person singular present active imperative of c?nfer?. Often abbreviated cf and used to mean "compare with".

English

Etymology

From Middle English admitten, amitten, borrowed from Old French admettre, amettre (“to admit”), from Latin admitt? (“to allow entrance, inlet”, literally “to send to”), from ad- + mittere (“to send”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?m?t/
• Rhymes: -?t

Verb

admit (third-person singular simple present admits, present participle admitting, simple past and past participle admitted)

1. (transitive) To allow to enter; to grant entrance (to), whether into a place, into the mind, or into consideration

2. (transitive) To allow (someone) to enter a profession or to enjoy a privilege; to recognize as qualified for a franchise.

3. (transitive) To concede as true; to acknowledge or assent to, as an allegation which it is impossible to deny
   • 2011, Kitty Kelley, Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography (?ISBN):

     His sister, Patti, also admitted taking drugs, […]

   Synonyms: own up, confess

4. (transitive) To be capable of; to permit. In this sense, "of" may be used after the verb, or may be omitted.
5. (intransitive) To give warrant or allowance, to grant opportunity or permission (+ of).

6. (transitive) To allow to enter a hospital or similar facility for treatment.

Usage notes

In the sense "concede to be true", this is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

• (to allow entry to): inlet, let in
• (to recognise as true): acknowledge, own

Derived terms

Related terms

• admissible
• admission
• mission

Translations

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ad.mi/

Verb

admit

1. third-person singular past historic of admettre