acknowledge

tr.v., -edged, -edg·ing, -edg·es.

1. 1. To admit the existence, reality, or truth of.
   2. To recognize as being valid or having force or power.
2. 1. To express recognition of: acknowledge a friend's smile.
   2. To express thanks or gratitude for.
3. To report the receipt of: acknowledge a letter.
4. Law. To accept or certify as legally binding: acknowledge a deed.

[Probably blend of Middle English knowlechen, to acknowledge (from knouen, to know; see know) and Middle English aknouen, to recognize (from Old English oncnāwan, to know : on-, on; see on + cnāwan, to know; see know).]

acknowledgeable ac·knowl'edge·a·ble adj.

SYNONYMS   acknowledge, admit, own, avow, confess, concede. These verbs mean to admit the reality or truth of something, often reluctantly. To acknowledge is to accept responsibility for something one makes known: He acknowledged his mistake. Admit implies reluctance in acknowledging one's acts or another point of view: "She was attracted by the frankness of a suitor who . . . admitted that he did not believe in marriage" (Edith Wharton). Own stresses personal acceptance and responsibility: She owned that she feared for the child's safety. Avow means to assert openly and boldly: "Old Mrs. Webb avowed that he, in the space of two hours, had worn out her pew more . . . than she had by sitting in it forty years" (Kate Douglas Wiggin). Confess usually emphasizes disclosure of something damaging or inconvenient to oneself: I have to confess that I lied to you. To concede is to intellectually accept something, often against one's will: The lawyer refused to concede that the two cases had similarities.

verb

1. To recognize, often reluctantly, the reality or truth of: admit, avow, concede, confess, grant, own (up). Slang fess up. Chiefly Regional allow. See affirm/deny/argue, knowledge/ignorance.
2. To express recognition of: admit, recognize. See affirm/deny/argue, knowledge/ignorance.

v

Definition: admit truth or reality of something
Antonyms: abjure, contradict, disavow, renounce

v

Definition: verbally recognize authority
Antonyms: forswear, ignore, refuse, renounce, repudiate

v

Definition: verbally recognize receipt of something
Antonyms: disregard, ignore

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A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

v.t.

To confess. Acknowledgement of one another's faults is the highest duty imposed by our love of truth.

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IN BRIEF: To admit. To recognize authority.

Pamela would not acknowledge Ms. Bradley's authority.

In air traffic control phraseology, it means, “Let me know that you have received and understood the message.”

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Acknowledge

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - bekræfte, vedkende sig, erkende

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    anerkende sit nederlag
• acknowledged mail    bekræftet mail

Nederlands (Dutch)
erkennen, teken van herkenning geven, toegeven, beantwoorden, ontvangst bevestigen, dankbaarheid uiten

Français (French)
v. tr. - reconnaître, avouer, admettre, confesser, répondre à, manifester sa gratitude pour, se montrer reconaissant de, saluer pour répondre à, (Jur) reconnaître (un enfant), accuser réception de

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    s'avouer vaincu
• acknowledged mail    e-mail (lu)

Deutsch (German)
v. - anerkennen, zugeben, gestehen, bestätigen

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    sich geschlagen geben, resignieren
• acknowledged mail    gelesenes E-Mail

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αναγνωρίζω, παραδέχομαι, βεβαιώνω (λήψη), ανταποδίδω χαιρετισμό

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    παραδέχομαι/ομολογώ την ήττα, καταθέτω τα όπλα
• acknowledged mail    ηλεκτρονικό ταχυδρομείο που έφθασε στον παραλήπτη του

Italiano (Italian)
riconoscere, concedere, mostrare riconoscenza, accusare ricevuta

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    darsi per vinto, ammettere la sconfitta

Português (Portuguese)
v. - admitir, reconhecer

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    reconhecer a derrota

Русский (Russian)
признавать, подтверждать, допускать

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    признать поражение

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - admitir, reconocer

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    darse por vencido, rendirse
• acknowledged mail    correspondencia violada, acusar recibo de correspondencia, mensaje de correo electrónico que ha sido leído

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - erkänna, bekräfta

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
承认, 告知收到, 对...打招呼, 答谢

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    承认失败
• acknowledged mail    告知邮件收到, 确认收到

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 承認, 告知收到, 對...打招呼, 答謝

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    承認失敗
• acknowledged mail    告知郵件收到, 確認收到

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 인정하다, 감사하다

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    패배를 인정하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 認める, 承認する, 礼を言う

idioms:

• acknowledge defeat    敗北を認める

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يعترف, يعبر عن شكره, يشعر بأستلامه شيئا‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הכיר ב-, הודה ב-, הודה על, אישר קבלת-, נופף לשלום‬

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