English Explanatory Dictionary

promise

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An oath or affirmation; a vow.
  2. 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.
  3. Reason to expect improvement or success; potential.
  4. A placeholder object representing the eventual result of an asynchronous operation.
  5. Bestowal or fulfillment of what is promised.
verb
  1. To commit to (some action or outcome), or to assure (a person) of such commitment; to make an oath or vow.
  2. To give grounds for expectation, especially of something good.
name
  1. A female given name from English.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɹɒmɪs/ /ˈpɹɑmɪs/ en-us-promise.ogg

Word forms

promise promises promyse promising promised

Etymology

From Middle English promis, promisse, borrowed from Old French promesse, from Medieval Latin prōmissa, Latin prōmissum (“a promise”), feminine and neuter past participles of prōmittō (“to send forth, to say beforehand, to promise”), from pro (“forth”) + mittere (“to send”); see mission. Compare admit, commit, permit, etc. Displaced native ġehātan (“to promise”) and ġehāt (“a promise”).

Synonyms

stipulate

Related words

promised promisee promising promisor promissory

Derived words

a lick and a promise a promise is a promise a promise made is a promise kept breach of promise break a promise break one's promise break-promise election promise forepromise lick and a promise mispromise on a promise outpromise overpromise pinky promise prepromise promisable promiseful promiseless promiser promise ring promise the earth promise the moon promise the stars promise the world repromise underpromise unpromise
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