Main Entry: ²witness

Function: verb

Date: 14th century

transitive verb

1 : to testify to : attest
2 : to act as legal witness of
3 : to furnish proof of : betoken
4 a : to have personal or direct cognizance of : see for oneself <witnessed the historic event> b : to take note of <our grammar— witness our verb system—is a marvel of flexibility, variety, and exactitude — Charlton Laird>
5 : to constitute the scene or time of <structures…which this striking Dorset hilltop once witnessed — Times Literary Supplement>intransitive verb 1 : to bear witness : testify
2 : to bear witness to one's religious convictions <opportunity to witness for Christ — Billy Graham>

synonyms see certify