17 results for: witness
Audio Help [wit-nis] Pronunciation Key | 1. | to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception: to witness an accident. |
| 2. | to be present at (an occurrence) as a formal witness, spectator, bystander, etc.: She witnessed our wedding. |
| 3. | to bear witness to; testify to; give or afford evidence of. |
| 4. | to attest by one's signature: He witnessed her will. |
| 5. | to bear witness; testify; give or afford evidence. |
| 6. | an individual who, being present, personally sees or perceives a thing; a beholder, spectator, or eyewitness. |
| 7. | a person or thing that affords evidence. |
| 8. | a person who gives testimony, as in a court of law. |
| 9. | a person who signs a document attesting the genuineness of its execution. |
| 10. | testimony or evidence: to bear witness to her suffering. |
| 11. | (initial capital letter ) a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses. |
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
witness
To learn more about witness visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| wit·ness
Audio Help (wĭt'nĭs) Pronunciation Key
n.
v. wit·nessed, wit·ness·ing, wit·ness·es v. tr.
v. intr.
[Middle English, from Old English, from wit, knowledge; see wit1.] wit'ness·er n. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
witness
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| witness | |
noun | |
| 1. | someone who sees an event and reports what happened |
| 2. | a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind); "the spectators applauded the performance"; "television viewers"; "sky watchers discovered a new star" [syn: spectator] |
| 3. | testimony by word or deed to your religious faith |
| 4. | (law) a person who attests to the genuineness of a document or signature by adding their own signature |
| 5. | (law) a person who testifies under oath in a court of law |
verb | |
| 1. | be a witness to; "She witnessed the accident and had to testify in court" |
| 2. | perceive or be contemporaneous with; "We found Republicans winning the offices"; "You'll see a lot of cheating in this school"; "The 1960's saw the rebellion of the younger generation against established traditions"; "I want to see results" |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
witness1 [ˈwitnəs] noun
Example: Someone must have seen the accident but the police can find no witnesses.
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Example: You cannot sign your will without witnesses.
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Example: This lady witnessed an accident at three o'clock this afternoon.
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Example: He witnessed my signature on the new agreement.
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| Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd. |
Main Entry: witness
Function: adjective
: being an object or location used to ascertain a precise boundary point esp. on a corner of a tract when marking that point itself
is impracticable or impossible <a witness tree> <a witness corner>
| Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc. |
Main Entry: witness
Function: transitive verb
1 : to furnish evidence or proof of
2 : to act as witness of: as a : to see the
execution of (an instrument) and sign for the purpose of establishing authenticity <witness a will> b : to be formally present as a witness of (as a transaction or the
execution of a convict)
3 a : to see or experience directly b : to take note of intransitive verb : to bear witness : give evidence
| Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc. |
Main Entry: wit·ness
Function: noun
Etymology: Old English witnes knowledge, testimony, witness, from wit mind, sense, knowledge
1 a :
attestation of a fact or event <in witness whereof the parties have executed this release> b : evidence (as of the authenticity of a conveyance by deed) furnished by
signature, oath, or seal
2 : one who gives evidence regarding matters of fact under inquiry; specifically : one who testifies or is legally qualified to testify in a
case or to give evidence before a judicial tribunal or similar inquiry <a witness before a congressional committee> <no person…shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a
witness against himself —U.S. Constitution amendment V> —compare AFFIANT, DEPONENT
adverse witness
: a witness who is called by or associated with an opposing party or who by statement, conduct, or other evidence (as of relationship) shows bias against or is injurious to the case of the party by whom the witness is called <sought to have his witness declared an adverse witness subject to impeachment> called also hostile witness —see also leading question at QUESTION 1
alibi witness
: a witness upon whom a criminal defendant relies in establishing an alibi
char·ac·ter witness
: a witness who testifies as to the character or reputation esp. of a criminal defendant : a witness who gives character evidence
expert witness
: a witness (as a medical specialist) who by virtue of special knowledge, skill, training, or experience is qualified to provide testimony to aid the factfinder in matters that exceed the common knowledge of ordinary people
hostile witness
: ADVERSE WITNESS in this entry
lay witness
: a witness who is not an expert witness
material witness
: a witness whose testimony is necessary for trial and whose presence may sometimes be secured by the state by subpoena, custody, or recognizance
prosecuting witness
: a witness (as the victim of a crime) whose own allegations initiate the prosecution of the defendant
qualified witness
: a witness who has sufficient understanding of a record-keeping system to provide testimony that forms the proper foundation for admission of evidence under the business records exception to the hearsay rule
rebuttal witness
: a witness called upon to rebut evidence already presented
3 : one who is called on to be present at a transaction so as to be able to testify to its occurrence; specifically : one who sees the execution of an instrument and signs it to confirm its authenticity <a witness to a will>
4 : EYEWITNESS <a witness to an assault>—bear witness : to furnish or constitute proof or evidence
| Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc. |
Witness
Wit"ness\, n. [AS. witness, gewitnes, from witan to know. [root]133. See Wit, v. i.]1. Attestation of a fact or an event; testimony. May we with . . . the witness of a good conscience, pursue him with any further revenge? --Shak. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. --John v. 31. 2. That which furnishes evidence or proof. Laban said to Jacob, . . . This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness. --Gen. xxxi. 51, 52. 3. One who is cognizant; a person who beholds, or otherwise has personal knowledge of, anything; as, an eyewitness; an earwitness. "Thyself art witness I am betrothed." --Shak. Upon my looking round, I was witness to appearances which filled me with melancholy and regret. --R. Hall. 4. (Law) (a) One who testifies in a cause, or gives evidence before a judicial tribunal; as, the witness in court agreed in all essential facts. (b) One who sees the execution of an instrument, and subscribes it for the purpose of confirming its authenticity by his testimony; one who witnesses a will, a deed, a marriage, or the like. Privileged witnesses. (Law) See under Privileged. With a witness, effectually; to a great degree; with great force, so as to leave some mark as a testimony. [Colloq.] This, I confess, is haste with a witness. --South.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Witness
Wit"ness\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Witnessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Witnessing.]1. To see or know by personal presence; to have direct cognizance of. This is but a faint sketch of the incalculable calamities and horrors we must expect, should we ever witness the triumphs of modern infidelity. --R. Hall. General Washington did not live to witness the restoration of peace. --Marshall. 2. To give testimony to; to testify to; to attest. Behold how many things they witness against thee. --Mark xv. 4. 3. (Law) To see the execution of, as an instrument, and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity; as, to witness a bond or a deed.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Witness
Wit"ness\, v. i. To bear testimony; to give evidence; to testify. --Chaucer. The men of Belial witnessed against him. --1 Kings xxi. 13. The witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with this event [martyrdom] that martyrdom now signifies not only to witness, but to witness to death. --South.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Witness
More than one witness was required in criminal cases (Deut. 17:6; 19:15). They were the first to execute the sentence on the condemned (Deut. 13:9; 17:7; 1 Kings 21:13; Matt. 27:1; Acts 7:57, 58). False witnesses were liable to punishment (Deut. 19:16-21). It was also an offence to refuse to bear witness (Lev. 5:1).
| Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary |
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