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Webster 1913 Edition

Admit

Ad-mit′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Admitted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Admitting
.]
[OE.
amitten
, L.
admittere
,
admissum
;
ad
+
mittere
to send: cf. F.
admettre
, OF.
admettre
, OF.
ametre
. See
Missile
.]
1.
To suffer to enter; to grant entrance, whether into a place, or into the mind, or consideration; to receive; to take;
as, they were into his house; to
admit
a serious thought into the mind; to
admit
evidence in the trial of a cause.
2.
To give a right of entrance;
as, a ticket
admits
one into a playhouse
.
3.
To allow (one) to enter on an office or to enjoy a privilege; to recognize as qualified for a franchise;
as, to
admit
an attorney to practice law; the prisoner was
admitted
to bail.
4.
To concede as true; to acknowledge or assent to, as an allegation which it is impossible to deny; to own or confess;
as, the argument or fact is
admitted
; he
admitted
his guilt.
5.
To be capable of; to permit;
as, the words do not
admit
such a construction
. In this sense, of may be used after the verb, or may be omitted.
Both Houses declared that they could
admit
of no treaty with the king.
Hume.

Webster 1828 Edition

Admit

ADMIT'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. admitto, from ad and mitto, to send.]
1.
To suffer to enter; to grant entrance; whether into a place, or an office, or into the mind, or consideration; as to admit a student into college; to admit a serious thought into the mind.
2.
To give right of entrance; as, a ticket admits one into a play house.
3.
To allow; to receive as true; as, the argument or fact is admitted.
4.
To permit, grant or allow, or to be capable of; as, the words do not admit of such a construction. In this sense, of may be used after the verb, or omitted.

Definition 2024

admit

admit

See also: admît

English

Verb

admit ‎(third-person singular simple present admits, present participle admitting, simple past and past participle admitted)

  1. (transitive) To allow to enter; to grant entrance, whether into a place, or into the mind, or consideration; to receive; to take.
    A ticket admits one into a playhouse.
    They were admitted into his house.
    to admit a serious thought into the mind
    to admit evidence in the trial of a cause
  2. (transitive) To allow (one) to enter on an office or to enjoy a privilege; to recognize as qualified for a franchise.
    to admit an attorney to practice law
    the prisoner was admitted to bail
  3. (transitive) To concede as true; to acknowledge or assent to, as an allegation which it is impossible to deny; to own or confess.
    the argument or fact is admitted
    he admitted his guilt
    she admitted taking drugs / she admitted to taking drugs
    • 2011, Kitty Kelley, Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography (ISBN 1451674767):
      His sister, Patti, also admitted taking drugs, […]
  4. (transitive) To be capable of; to permit. In this sense, "of" may be used after the verb, or may be omitted.
    the words do not admit such a construction.
    • Holder
      Four bells admit twenty-four changes in ringing.
  5. (intransitive) To give warrant or allowance, to grant opportunity or permission (+ of).
    circumstance do not admit of this
    the text does not admit of this interpretation
  6. (transitive) To allow to enter a hospital or similar facility for treatment.
    • 2011 December 16, Denis Campbell, “Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients'”, in Guardian:
      "This shocking report proves once again that we urgently need a radical shake-up of hospital care," said Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society. "Given that people with dementia occupy a quarter of hospital beds and that many leave in worse health than when they were admitted, it is unacceptable that training in dementia care is not the norm."

Usage notes

In the senses 3. and 4. this is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

French

Verb

admit

  1. third-person singular past historic of admettre

Etymology

From Middle English admitten, amitten, from Old French admettre, amettre ‎(“to admit”), from Latin admittō ‎(“to allow entrance, inlet”, literally “to send to”), from ad- + mittere ‎(“to send”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ədˈmɪt/
  • Rhymes: -ɪt

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