admit

admit

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Pronunciation

The word "admit" is pronounced /ədˈmɪt/.

Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:

• ad-: /əd/

• -mit: /mɪt/

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Word Form Variations

• Base Form (Verb): admit

• Third Person Singular Present (Verb): admits

• Present Participle (Verb/Adjective): admitting

• Past Tense (Verb): admitted

• Past Participle (Verb/Adjective): admitted

• Noun: admission (the act of admitting or being admitted; a statement admitting a truth)

• Adjective: admissible (able to be admitted or allowed)

• Adverb: admittedly (as acknowledged; by confession)

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Verb

• Definition 1: To confess or acknowledge something to be true, often something that one might have preferred to keep secret or deny.

• Synonyms: confess, acknowledge, concede, own up, disclose, reveal

• Antonyms: deny, disavow, repudiate, reject, conceal, hide

• Definition 2: To allow entry into a place, organization, or group; to grant access.

• Synonyms: allow, permit, grant, accept, welcome, receive

• Antonyms: exclude, bar, deny, refuse, reject, ban

• Definition 3: To allow for the possibility or existence of something; to be capable of.

• Synonyms: allow, permit, accommodate, entertain

• Antonyms: preclude, rule out, prevent, forbid

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Examples of Use

• Books: "He paused, as if to admit the full weight of her words, then nodded slowly." (From The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939)

• Newspapers: "The spokesperson for the company refused to admit any wrongdoing, despite mounting evidence." (The New York Times)

• Online Publications: "In a recent interview, the CEO had to admit that the product launch faced unexpected delays." (TechCrunch)

• Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• Film: A character in the movie A Few Good Men (1992) famously shouts, "You can't handle the truth!" before finally being pressed to admit to ordering a "Code Red."

• Television Series: "I have to admit, that was a brilliant move, even for you," a detective says to a suspect in an episode of Sherlock (BBC, May 2017).

• Song Lyrics: "I gotta admit it, it's getting better, a little better all the time." (From "Getting Better" by The Beatles, June 1967)

• General Public Discourse:

• "I have to admit, I'm a bit nervous about the presentation tomorrow." (Heard in a casual conversation)

• "The local council was forced to admit that the new traffic scheme had caused more problems than it solved." (Reported in a community meeting)

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10 Quotes Using Admit

1. "It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

2. "Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them." - Bruce Lee

3. "I have never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks." - Daniel Boone

4. "To keep your marriage brimming, With love in the loving cup, Whenever you're wrong, admit it; Whenever you're right, shut up." - Ogden Nash

5. "A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them." - John C. Maxwell

6. "Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations." - Steve Jobs

7. "No one should be ashamed to admit he is wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." - Alexander Pope

8. "All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it." - H. L. Mencken

9. "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." - Maya Angelou

10. "You cannot defeat an enemy you do not admit exists." - Michael T. Flynn

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Etymology

The word "admit" has a pretty clear history that goes back to Latin.

It comes from the Latin word "admittere." This word is made up of two parts:

• "ad-": This is a Latin prefix meaning "to" or "towards."

• "mittere": This Latin verb means "to send" or "to let go."

So, literally, "admittere" meant something like "to send to" or "to let go to."

The first known use of "admit" in English appeared in the late 14th century. At that time, its main meaning was "to let in" or "to grant entrance." Imagine someone "admitting" you into a building or "admitting" you into a group – that was the original sense.

Over time, in the early 15th century, the meaning expanded to include "to concede in argument as valid or true." This is how we get the sense of "admitting a mistake" or "admitting the truth."

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Admit

• Admit defeat: To acknowledge that one has lost or failed.

• Admit guilt: To confess to having committed a crime or wrong.

• Admit fault: To acknowledge one's responsibility for a mistake or error.

• Admit one's true feelings: To reveal what one genuinely feels, often after hiding it.

• Cannot but admit: To be forced to acknowledge something, even reluctantly.

• Admit no compromise: To be firm and unyielding; to refuse to negotiate.

• To grant admittance: To allow someone to enter (using a noun form related to "admit").

• A full admission: A complete and unreserved confession or acknowledgment.

• To confess all: To reveal everything one has done (using a synonym for "admit" in the context of confession).

• To own up to it: To accept responsibility for something one has done (an idiomatic phrase with a similar meaning to "admit").

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of admit from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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