Part 449

Con"fer*ence (?), n. [F. confÚrence. See Confer.] 1. The act of comparing two or more things together; comparison. [Obs.]

Helps and furtherances which . . . the mutual conference of all men's collections and observations may afford. Hocker.

2. The act of consulting together formally; serious conversation or discussion; interchange of views.

Nor with such free and friendly conference As he hath used of old. Shak.

3. A meeting for consultation, discussion, or an interchange of opinions.

4. A meeting of the two branches of a legislature, by their committees, to adjust between them.

5. (Methodist Church) A stated meeting of preachers and others, invested with authority to take cognizance of ecclesiastical matters.

6. A voluntary association of Congregational churches of a district; the district in which such churches are.

Conference meeting, a meeting for conference. Specifically, a meeting conducted (usually) by laymen, for conference and prayer. [U. S.] -- Conference room, a room for conference and prayer, and for the pastor's less formal addresses. [U. S.]

Con`fer*en"tial (?), a. Relating to conference. [R.] Clarke.

Con*fer"ra*ble (#) a. Capable of being conferred.

Con`fer*ree" (k&obreve;n`f&etilde;r*rē"), n. Same as Conferee.

Con*fer"rer (k&obreve;n*f&etilde;r"r&etilde;r), n. 1. One who confers; one who converses. Johnson.

2. One who bestows; a giver.

{ Con`fer*ru"mi*nate (?), Con`fer*ru"mi*na`ted (?) }, a. [L. conferruminare to cement. See Ferruminate.] (Bot.) Closely united by the coalescence, or sticking together, of contiguous faces, as in the case of the cotyledons of the live-oak acorn.

||Con*fer"va (?), n.; pl. ConfervŠ (#). [L., a kind of water plant. See Comfrey.] (Bot.) Any unbranched, slender, green plant of the fresh-water algae. The word is frequently used in a wider sense.

Con`fer*va"ceous (?), a. Belonging to the confervae.

Con*fer"void (?), a. [Conferva + -oid.] Like, or related to, the confervae. Loudon.

Con*fer"vous (?), a. Pertaining to confervae; consisting of, or resembling, the confervae.

Yon exiguous pool's confervous scum. O. W. Holmes.

Con*fess" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Confessed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Confessing.] [F. confesser, fr. L. confessus, p. p. of confiteri to confess; con- + fateri to confess; akin to fari to speak. See 2d Ban, Fame.] 1. To make acknowledgment or avowal in a matter pertaining to one's self; to acknowledge, own, or admit, as a crime, a fault, a debt.

And there confess Humbly our faults, and pardon beg. Milton.

I must confess I was most pleased with a beautiful prospect that none of them have mentioned. Addison.

2. To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.

Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess, also, before my Father which is in heaven. Matt. x. 32.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Acts xxiii. 8.

3. To admit as true; to assent to; to acknowledge, as after a previous doubt, denial, or concealment.

I never gave it him. Send for him hither, And let him confess a truth. Shak.