Inflected forms: ac·knowl·edged, ac·knowl·edg·ing, ac·knowl·edg·es 1a. To admit the existence, reality, or truth of. b. To recognize as being valid or having force or power. 2a. To express recognition of: acknowledge a friend's smile.b. 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.
ETYMOLOGY:
Probably blend of Middle English knowlechen, to acknowledge (from knouen, to know; see know) and Middle English aknouen, to recognize (from Old English oncnwan, to know ( on-, on; see on + cnwan, to know; see know).
OTHER FORMS:
ac·knowledge·a·ble —ADJECTIVE
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, The Reckoning 1902.) 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, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm 1903.) 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.
k-n
l
j
wan, to know ( on-, on; see on + cn
