formal confession
[/ˈfɔːrməl kənˈfeʃən/]
nounfemininepl: formal confessions
confissão formal
1. An official, explicit, and often legally documented admission of guilt, wrongdoing, or a personal truth made in a formal setting
The defendant made a formal confession to the crime in court.
O réu fez uma confissão formal do crime perante o tribunal.
2. A solemn religious declaration of sins made to a priest or religious authority according to established procedures
She went to church to make a formal confession with the priest.
Ela foi à igreja para fazer uma confissão formal com o padre.
3. An official written or recorded statement acknowledging responsibility or admitting to something previously denied
The formal confession was signed and witnessed by three people.
A confissão formal foi assinada e testemunhada por três pessoas.
In Brazil, formal confessions carry significant weight in both religious practice (particularly in Catholicism) and the legal system. The Catholic tradition of formal confession to priests (confissão) remains culturally important, while in legal contexts, formal confessions must follow strict procedural rules to be admissible in court. In the USA, formal confessions in criminal cases must be made with proper Miranda rights warnings, reflecting different legal standards between countries.
NYC Slang
coming clean (informal equivalent)
Related Idioms & Phrases
make a formal confession
extract a formal confession
obtain a formal confession
sign a formal confession
read into the record a formal confession
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