1. (heraldry) an ordinary consisting of a broad horizontal band across a shield
   "The family coat of arms featured a prominent fess in gold";
   - fesse

1. Admit or acknowledge a wrongdoing or error
   "the writer of the anonymous letter fessed up after they identified his handwriting";
   - make a clean breast of, own up, fess up [informal], cop [N. Amer, informal], cop to [N. Amer, informal], own, come clean [informal]

Derived forms: fessed, fesses, fessing

Type of: concede, confess, ordinary, profess

Encyclopedia: Fess