attest

English edit

Etymology edit

PIE word
*tréyes

Borrowed from Middle French attester, from Latin attestor (“to witness to, bear witness”), from at-, combining form of ad (“to”) + testor (“to bear witness”), from testis (“a witness”).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /əˈtɛst/
Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -ɛst

Verb edit

attest (third-person singular simple present attests, present participle attesting, simple past and past participle attested)

(transitive) To affirm to be correct, true, or genuine.
When will the appraiser attest the date of the painting?
- 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
  Dishonour not your Mothers: now attest that those whom you call'd Fathers, did beget you.
- a. 1720 (date written), Joseph Addison, “Section III. The Providence of God.”, in The Evidences of the Christian Religion, […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], published 1730, →OCLC, subsection VII, page 25:
  [W]e have already ſeen many particular facts vvhich are recorded in holy vvrit, atteſted by particular Pagan Authors: […]
- 2019 May 19, Alex McLevy, “The final Game Of Thrones brings a pensive but simple meditation about stories (newbies)”, in The A.V. Club‎^[1]:
  As the Wildlings can attest, there’s already new life even north of the wall, poking up through the ice. Winter only lasts so long.
(transitive) To certify by signature or oath.
You must attest your will in order for it to be valid.
(transitive) To certify in an official capacity.
(transitive, intransitive) To supply or be evidence of.
Her fine work attested her ability.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act PROLOGUE, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
  O pardon : since a crooked Figure may / Attest in little place a Million, / And let us, Cyphers to this great Accompt, / On your imaginarie Forces worke.
- 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page viii:
  The supplementary bibliography (in Vol. VI) attests to the comprehensiveness of the effort.
(transitive) To put under oath.
(transitive, obsolete) To call to witness; to invoke.
- 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
  The sacred streams which Heaven's imperial state / Attests in oaths, and fears to violate.

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

to affirm to be correct, true, or genuine

Albanian: dëshmoj (sq), vërteroj
Bulgarian: потвърждавам (bg) (potvǎrždavam), заверявам (bg) (zaverjavam), удостоверявам (bg) (udostoverjavam)
Chinese: 证实 (zh) (zhèngshí)
Czech: potvrdit (cs)
Dutch: attesteren (nl)
Esperanto: atesti (eo)
Finnish: todentaa (fi), vahvistaa (fi), todistaa (fi)
German: attestieren (de), beglaubigen (de)
Hungarian: tanúsít (hu), igazol (hu), bizonyít (hu)
Italian: attestare (it)
Latin: attestor
Norwegian:
Bokmål: attestere (no)
Portuguese: atestar (pt)
Romanian: atesta (ro), confirma (ro), adeveri (ro)
Russian: подтвержда́ть (ru) (podtverždátʹ)
Spanish: avalar (es), atestiguar (es)
Swedish: attestera (sv)

to certify by signature or oath

Finnish: vahvistaa (fi), todistaa (fi)
Hungarian: tanúsít (hu)
Spanish: compulsar (es) (legal; referring to documents)

to certify in an official capacity

Finnish: vahvistaa (fi)
Hungarian: hitelesít (hu)
Polish: atestować (pl) impf or pf

to supply or be evidence of

Finnish: osoittaa (fi), todistaa (fi)
Hungarian: tanúsít (hu), tanúskodik (hu)

to put under oath

to call to witness

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked