Vow definition |Dictionary.com

Synonyms of Vow

votary, votive, pledge, profession, assure, covenant, declare, dedicate, oath, pledge, plight, prayer

Vow

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13 dictionary results for: Vow

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

vow

[vou] Pronunciation Key,

–noun

1.	a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment: marriage vows; a vow of secrecy.

2.	a solemn promise made to a deity or saint committing oneself to an act, service, or condition.

3.	a solemn or earnest declaration.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to make a vow of; promise by a vow, as to God or a saint: to vow a crusade or a pilgrimage.

5.	to pledge or resolve solemnly to do, make, give, observe, etc.: They vowed revenge.

6.	to declare solemnly or earnestly; assert emphatically (often fol. by a clause as object): She vowed that she would take the matter to court.

7.	to dedicate or devote by a vow: to vow oneself to the service of God.

–verb (used without object)

8.	to make a vow.

9.	to make a solemn or earnest declaration.

—Idiom

10.	take vows, to enter a religious order or house.

[Origin: 1250–1300; ME < AF, OF vo(u) < L vōtum, neut. of vōtus, ptp. of vovére to vow

]

—Related forms

vower, noun

vowless, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

vow¹ (vou) Pronunciation Key
n.

An earnest promise to perform a specified act or behave in a certain manner, especially a solemn promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order: take the vows of a nun.
A declaration or assertion.

v. vowed, vow·ing, vows

v. tr.

To promise solemnly; pledge. See Synonyms at promise.
To make a pledge or threat to undertake: vowing revenge on their persecutors.

v. intr.
To make a vow; promise.

[Middle English vou, from Old French, from Latin vōtum; see vote.]

vow'er n.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

vow² (vou) Pronunciation Key
tr.v. To declare or assert: "Well, I vow it is as fine a boy as ever was seen!" (Henry Fielding).

[Short for avow.]

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
vow (n.)

1297, from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. vou, from L. votum "a vow, wish, promise, dedication," noun use of neut. of votus, pp. of vovere "to promise solemnly, pledge, dedicate, vow," from PIE base *ewegwh- "to speak solemnly, vow" (cf. Skt. vaghat- "one who offers a sacrifice;" Gk. eukhe "vow, wish," eukhomai "I pray"). The verb is attested from c.1300, from O.Fr. vouer.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

vow
noun
1.	a solemn pledge (to oneself or to another or to a deity) to do something or to behave in a certain manner; "they took vows of poverty"
verb
1.	make a vow; promise; "He vowed never to drink alcohol again"
2.	dedicate to a deity by a vow

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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: vow
Function: noun
: a solemn promise or statement; especially : one by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition <marriagevows>

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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: vow
Function: transitive verb
1 : to promise solemnly
2 : to bind or commit by a vow intransitive verb : to make a vow—vow·er noun

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Vow

De*vote"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Devoting.] [L. devotus, p. p. of devovere; de + vovere to vow. See Vow, and cf. Devout, Devow.]

1. To appropriate by vow; to set apart or dedicate by a solemn act; to consecrate; also, to consign over; to doom; to evil; to devote one to destruction; the city was devoted to the flames.

No devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord . . . shall be sold or redeemed. --Lev. xxvii. 28.

2. To execrate; to curse. [Obs.]

3. To give up wholly; to addict; to direct the attention of wholly or compound; to attach; -- often with a reflexive pronoun; as, to devote one's self to science, to one's friends, to piety, etc.

Thy servant who is devoted to thy fear. --Ps. cxix. 38.

They devoted themselves unto all wickedness. --Grew.

A leafless and simple branch . . . devoted to the purpose of climbing. --Gray.

Syn: To addict; apply; dedicate; consecrate; resign; destine; doom; consign. See Addict.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Vow

Vo"ta*ry\, a. [From L. votus, p. p. vovere to vow, to devote. See Vote, Vow.] Consecrated by a vow or promise; consequent on a vow; devoted; promised.

Votary resolution is made equipollent to custom. --Bacon.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Vow

Vote\, n. [L. votum a vow, wish, will, fr. vovere, votum, to vow: cf. F. vote. See Vow.]

1. An ardent wish or desire; a vow; a prayer. [Obs.] --Massinger.

2. A wish, choice, or opinion, of a person or a body of persons, expressed in some received and authorized way; the expression of a wish, desire, will, preference, or choice, in regard to any measure proposed, in which the person voting has an interest in common with others, either in electing a person to office, or in passing laws, rules, regulations, etc.; suffrage.

3. That by means of which will or preference is expressed in elections, or in deciding propositions; voice; a ballot; a ticket; as, a written vote.

The freeman casting with unpurchased hand The vote that shakes the turrets of the land. --Holmes.

4. Expression of judgment or will by a majority; legal decision by some expression of the minds of a number; as, the vote was unanimous; a vote of confidence.

5. Votes, collectively; as, the Tory vote; the labor vote.

Casting vote, Cumulative vote, etc. See under Casting, Cumulative, etc.

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Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

VOW

VOW: in Acronym Finder

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