to witness
653
3.0
- verb
- /ˈwɪtnəs/
:
presenciar
- She witnessed the final moments of the play and felt a rush of emotions.
- personally witnessed
- never witnessed
- witness the act
We don't live long enough to witness any Galaxy evolve.
- We don't live long enough to witness any Galaxy evolve.
- The night that he spent with you witnessing those orbs in the sky.
- But it turns out that I witnessed her get some great results.
- And they have these refined eyes for witnessing and seeing tiny changes.
- I've been to my house and I've witnessed this up close and personal.
- And today in Syria, we continue to witness yet more horrible carnage.
- I did actually witness it for real recently.
- He was the same man we all witnessed at that debate.
- Quote, this was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration.
Examples
-
Did you witness a murder?
-
All of us witnessed the regrettable attack yesterday morning.
-
I did actually witness it for real recently.
-
There was soon quite an audience to witness the men at work.
Academic text (2011) -
This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration.
-
I've gotten a chance to witness a destroyed school in Ukraine.
-
Distraught, he travels further into the future where he witnesses the death of humanity and the planet.
Academic text (2011) -
The past two years have witnessed a significant, albeit largely unnoticed, evolution in U.S. policy toward Iran.
Academic text (2011) -
As a reporter, I had the opportunity to witness the historic signing of the peace treaty.
-
During the storm, we all witnessed the trees bending and breaking in the fierce winds.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To experience events or changes over time
∞
1.0
To look at something carefully for some time
619
2.4
To watch something carefully to learn about it
357
1.0
To look at something carefully
131
7.6
To see something impressive, like a beautiful view or event
50
3.4
To watch events happen without taking part
27
3.2
To go to a class or meeting to watch and learn without taking part
23
3.9
Attend a meeting or class as a visitor, not a regular participant
Antonyms
Phrasal Verbs
- Formal
29
4.6
Show that something is true, often by signs or by people saying they saw it
Compounds
59
3.9
A government program that keeps people who testify safe by moving them and giving new names
- Specialized
23
4.6
A person with special knowledge who gives an opinion in court about a subject they know well
- Formal
21
6.0
A person whose statement is very important to the main question in a court case
19
5.6
A person who speaks in court about another person's good character and honesty
12
7.3
A person in a Christian group that teaches the world will end soon and tells others their beliefs
- Jargon
7
7.3
A witness expected to speak against the side that called them and questioned by the other lawyer
- Formal
4
8.8
Saying false things in court on purpose after promising to tell the truth
- UK
4
4.2
An enclosed area in a courtroom where a person sits to tell the judge or jury what they saw
- Formal
1
8.7
A witness called by a party whose evidence is likely harmful and may be questioned more freely
- Jargon
1
6.9
A person who gives evidence in court about what they personally saw or experienced
How Direct
Surface Forms
Etymology
Witness as a verb comes from the root wit 'knowledge' and originally meant to 'know by seeing'. So to witness something is to be there and see it happen, making you someone who knows it is true.