📖 Spilling the Beans: Owning Up and Other Common Confessions 🤫
Definition:
To admit something, to confess. Dating from the mid-1800s, this expression seems to use “own” in the sense of possessing responsibility for something. For example, “On being arrested he owned up to his crime,” appeared in the Boston Journal (May 23, 1890).
Synonyms:
- Come clean
- Spill the beans
- Fess up
- Come to terms with
- Confess
Antonyms:
- Deny
- Disavow
- Ignore
- Overlook
- Conceal
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “Honesty is the best policy – especially when there’s no one around to lie about your secrets.” - Anonymous
- “Confession: funny church word for talking without approach without making excuses.” - Albert Hughes
Related Terms and Proverbs:
- “A clean breast”
- “Clear the air”
- “Lay cards on the table”
- “Face the music”
Inspirational Thought:
“To err is human; to admit it, divine. And sometimes a bit funny.” - Unknown Wisecracker
Literary and Media References:
-
Books:
- The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe – A gripping story of a confession driven by guilt.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – Featuring moments of stark, honest admissions.
-
Movies:
- A Few Good Men – The famous “You can’t handle the truth!” courtroom drama.
- Confessions of a Shopaholic – Hilarity ensues as the protagonist owns up to her compulsive spending habits.
-
Songs:
- “Confessions” by Usher – A musical journey through inner truths and heartfelt admissions.
- “Sorry” by Justin Bieber – Sincere contrition through song.
-
Poetry:
- “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar – A profound exploration of concealing truths.
### Which of these is a real idiom?
- [x] Come clean
- [ ] Bathe in golden truths
- [ ] Dance with hidden skeletons
- [ ] Sing the naked verse
> **Explanation:** "Come clean" is a commonly known idiom, meaning to tell the truth or confess. The others? Just whimsical fabrications!
### Which phrase means to admit something?
- [ ] Cover it up
- [ ] Bury the hatchet
- [x] Own up
- [ ] Draw the line
> **Explanation:** "Own up" means to admit or confess whereas the others suggest peace-making or boundaries, not admissions.
### True or False: 'Fess up' is a synonym for 'own up'
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** True! "Fess up" and "own up" both mean to admit or confess.
Join us next time on our voyage through vapid vocables, delightful doggerel, and easily exhaustible expressions as we unveil the next chapter in your hushed-hued Dictionary of Clichés! Till then, remember, “To confide, sometimes, is to comfort.”
