WordGarden.iowitness
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /wˈɪtnəs/
US
- /ˈwɪtnəs/
Meanings
Noun
a person who saw an event and can give evidence about it
Verb
to see something happen or be present for it
to formally observe and attest the signing of a legal document
Beyond the definition
To witness something is to be there when it happens and to see it for yourself. You might witness a beautiful sunset, a car accident, or an important public event. The word is also common in legal situations. If someone witnessed a crime, they may later tell the police or speak in court about what they saw. As a noun, a witness is the person who saw the event and can describe it. The idea usually includes direct experience, not just hearing about something from other people.
The word "witness" usually means seeing something happen with your own eyes. It often refers to events that matter in some way, such as an accident, a crime, a ceremony, or a major public moment. If you witness something, you are not just nearby; you directly observe it as it happens. That direct experience is an important part of the meaning.
The word is especially common in legal and official settings. A witness in court gives testimony, meaning they tell what they saw or heard. Police may look for witnesses after a crime or accident because those people can help explain what happened. In this use, "witness" can be both a verb and a noun: you can witness an event, and you can be a witness to it.
It is not limited to the courtroom, though. People also use it in everyday and slightly formal writing for important experiences: someone might witness history, witness great change, or witness an act of kindness. There is also a related expression, "bear witness," which means to show that something is true or to speak about it from personal knowledge.
You may also see the word in documents that need a witness signature. In that case, a witness is a person who was present to confirm that something was signed or done properly. Across these uses, the main idea stays the same: presence, direct knowledge, and the ability to confirm that something really happened.
Examples
- 1
Accident
I witnessed the accident from across the street.
- 2
Police statement
Several neighbors witnessed the argument and gave statements to the police.
- 3
Public appeal
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward.
- 4
Crime context
She was the only witness to the robbery.
- Patternwitness to + event
someone who saw it happen
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Court testimony
He was called as a witness in court.
- 6
Formal document
Please sign the form in the presence of a witness.
- 7
Historical change
The city has witnessed huge changes over the last twenty years.
- 8
Evidence
These old letters bear witness to their long friendship.
- Phrasebear witness to
show clearly that something is true or real
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- key witness
- call a witness
- witness statement
Word family
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Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- witnessnounverb
Forms
- witnessespluralnounverb
- witnessedpast tenseverbnoun
- witnessing-ing formverbnoun