Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Promise

Prom′ise

,
Adj.
[F.
promesse
, L.
promissum
, fr.
promittere
,
promissum
, to put forth, foretell, promise;
pro
forward, for +
mittere
to send. See
Mission
. ]
1.
In general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act.
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of
promise
: but God gave it to Abraham by
promise
.
Gal. iii. 18.
2.
(Law)
An engagement by one person to another, either in words or in writing, but properly not under seal, for the performance or nonperformance of some particular thing. The word promise is used to denote the mere engagement of a person, without regard to the consideration for it, or the corresponding duty of the party to whom it is made.
Chitty. Parsons. Burrill.
3.
That which causes hope, expectation, or assurance; especially, that which affords expectation of future distinction;
as, a youth of great
promise
.
Shak.
My native country was full of youthful
promise
.
W. Irving.
4.
Bestowal, fulfillment, or grant of what is promised.
He . . . commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
promise
of the Father.
Acts i. 4.

Prom′ise

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Promised
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Promising
.]
1.
To engage to do, give, make, or to refrain from doing, giving, or making, or the like; to covenant; to engage;
as, to
promise
a visit; to
promise
a cessation of hostilities; to
promise
the payment of money.
“To promise aid.”
Shak.
2.
To afford reason to expect; to cause hope or assurance of;
as, the clouds
promise
rain
.
Milton.
3.
To make declaration of or give assurance of, as some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow;
as, the proprietors
promised
large tracts of land; the city
promised
a reward.
Promised land
.
See
Land of promise
, under
Land
.
–
To promise one’s self
.
(a)
To resolve; to determine; to vow
.
(b)
To be assured; to have strong confidence.
I dare
promise myself
you will attest the truth of all I have advanced.
Rambler.

Prom′ise

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To give assurance by a promise, or binding declaration.
2.
To afford hopes or expectation; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil.
Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
I fear it, I
promise
you.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Promise

PROM'ISE

,
Noun.
[L. promissum, from promitto, to send before or forward; pro and mitto, to send.]
1.
In a general sense, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it, either in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear a certain act specified; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made, a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of the act. The promise of a visit to my neighbor, gives him a right to expect it, and I am bound in honor and civility to perform the promise. Of such a promise human laws have no cognizance; but the fulfillment of it is one of the minor moralities, which civility, kindness and strict integrity require to be observed.
2.
In law, a declaration, verbal or written, made by one person to another for a good or valuable consideration, in the nature of a covenant, by which the promiser binds himself, and as the case may be, his legal representatives, to do or forbear some act; and gives to the promisee a legal right to demand and enforce a fulfillment.
3.
A binding declaration of something to be done or given for another's benefit; as the promise of a grant of land. A promise may be absolute or conditional; lawful or unlawful; express or implied. An absolute promise must be fulfilled at all events. The obligation to fulfill a conditional promise depends on the performance of the condition. An unlawful promise is not binding, because it is void; for it is incompatible with a prior paramount obligation of obedience to the laws. An express promise, is one expressed in words or writing. An implied promise, is one which reason and justice dictate. If I hire a man to perform a day's labor, without any declaration that I will pay him, the law presumes a promise on my part that I will give him a reasonable reward, and will enforce much implied promise.
4.
Hopes; expectation, or that which affords expectation of future distinction; as a youth of great promise.
My native country was full of youthful promise.
5.
That which is promised; fulfillment or grant of what is promised.
He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. Acts.1.
6.
In Scripture,the promise of God is the declaration or assurance which God has given in his word of bestowing blessings on his people. Such assurance resting on the perfect justice,power, benevolence and immutable veracity of God, cannot fail of performance.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promises. 2 Pet.3.

PROM'ISE

,
Verb.
T.
To make a declaration to another, which binds the promiser in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear some act; as, to promise a visit to a friend; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money.
1.
To afford reason to expect; as, the year promises a good harvest.
2.
To make declaration or give assurance of some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow.
The proprietors promised large tracts of land.

PROM'ISE

,
Verb.
I.
To assure one by a promise or binding declaration. The man promises fair; let us forgive him.
1.
To afford hopes or expectations; to give ground to expect good. The youth promises to be an eminent man; the wheat promises to be a good crop; the weather promises to be pleasant.
2.
In popular use, this verb sometimes threatens or assures of evil. The rogue shall be punished, I promise you.
Will not the ladies be afraid of the lion?
--I fear it, I promise you.
In the latter example, promise is equivalent to declare; 'I declare to you.'
3.
To promise one's self, to be assured or to have strong confidence.
I dare promise myself you will attest the truth of all I have advanced.

Definition 2024

promise

promise

English

Alternative forms

  • promyse (obsolete)

Noun

promise ‎(countable and uncountable, plural promises)

  1. (countable) An oath or affirmation; a vow.
    if I make a promise, I always stick to it;  he broke his promise‎
  2. (countable) A transaction between two persons whereby the first person undertakes in the future to render some service or gift to the second person or devotes something valuable now and here to his use.
    • 1668 July 3rd, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), pages 547–548
      He purſued Andrew Houſtoun upon his promiſe, to give him the like Sallary for the next year, and in abſence obtained him to be holden as confeſt and Decerned.
  3. (uncountable) Reason to expect improvement or success; potential.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Washington Irving
      My native country was full of youthful promise.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess:
      The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, so that the actual structure which had come down to posterity retained the secret magic of a promise rather than the overpowering splendour of a great architectural achievement.
    She shows great promise as an actress.‎
  4. (countable, computing, programming) A placeholder object that can be manipulated in code before it has been assigned a value.
  5. (countable, obsolete) Bestowal or fulfillment of what is promised.
    • Bible, Acts i. 4
      He […] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father.

Translations

Verb

promise ‎(third-person singular simple present promises, present participle promising, simple past and past participle promised)

  1. (transitive) To commit to something or action; to make an oath; make a vow.
    • 2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 70:
      Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. […] Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today.
    If you promise not to tell anyone, I will let you have this cake for free.‎
    He promised to never return to this town again.‎
    She promised me a big kiss if I would drive her to the airport.‎
    I can't promise success, but I'll do the best I can.‎
  2. (intransitive) To give grounds for expectation, especially of something good.
    The clouds promise rain.
    • 1897, Winston Churchill, chapter 1, in The Celebrity:
      I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me. I look upon notoriety with the same indifference as on the buttons on a man's shirt-front, or the crest on his note-paper.

Usage notes

  • This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

Translations

Related terms

See also

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: sake · justice · offer · #909: promise · obliged · ourselves · pale

Anagrams

French

Verb

promise

  1. feminine singular of the past participle of promettre

Anagrams

Italian

Verb

promise

  1. third-person singular past historic of promettere

Anagrams

Novial

Verb

promise ‎(past promised, active participle promisent, passive participle promiset)

  1. to promise

Conjugation

Romanian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [proˈmise]

Adjective

promise

  1. feminine plural form of promis
  2. neuter plural form of promis

Verb

promise

  1. third-person singular simple perfect form of promite.

Etymology

From Middle English promis ‎(“promis, promisse”), from Old French promesse, from Medieval Latin promissa, Latin promissum ‎(“a promise”), feminine and neuter of Latin promissus, past participle of promittere ‎(“to send or put forth, let go forward, say beforehand, promise”), from pro ‎(“forth”) + mittere ‎(“to send”); see mission. Compare admit, commit, permit, etc. Displaced native Middle English beheste, bihest ‎(“promise, behest”) (from Old English behǣs ‎(“promise, vow”)), Middle English hight ‎(“promise”) (from Old English hēht, past tense of Old English hātan ‎(“to promise”)), Middle English hat, haut ‎(“promise, vow”) (from Old English ġehāt ‎(“promise, vow”)), Middle English quidde, quid ‎(“saying, promise”). Compare Middle English forhaten, forhauten ‎(“to promise”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɹɒmɪs/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈpɹɑmɪs/

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