Admit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Admitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Admitting.]
Etymology: [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 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.
1 more senses
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.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for admit; he lists it under agree, allow, avow, confess.
Where he writes about it:
He admits the charge brought, or the statement made, by another--admit always carrying a suggestion of reluctance. — from agree
Acknowledge, admit, and declare refer either to oneself or to others; all the other words refer only to one's own knowledge or action. — from avow
We accept another's statement; admit any point made against us; acknowledge what we have said or done, good or bad; avow our individual beliefs or feelings; certify to facts within our knowledge; confess our own faults; endorse a friend's note or statement; grant a request; own our faults or obligations; recognize lawful authority; concede a claim. — from confess
The chief present use of the word, however, is in the sense of making known to others one's own wrong-doing; in this sense confess is stronger than acknowledge or admit, and more specific than own; a person admits a mistake; acknowledges a fault; confesses sin or crime. — from confess