Adjacent Words

Attest definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ATTEST', v.t. [L. attestor; of ad and testor, to affirm or bear witness, from testis. See Testify.]
1. To bear witness; to; to certify; to affirm to be true or genuine; to make a solemn declaration in words or writing, to support a fact; appropriately used the affirmation of persons in their official capacity; as, to attest the truth of a writing; to attest a copy of record. Persons also attest writings by subscribing their names.
2. To bear witness, or support the truth of a fact, by other evidence than words; as, the ruins of Palmyra attest its ancient magnificence.
3. To call to witness; to invoke as conscious.
The sacred streams which heaven's imperial state Attests in oaths, and fears to violate.
ATTEST', n. Witness; testimony; attestation. [Little used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes; "His high fever attested to his illness"; "The buildings in Rome manifest a high level of architectural sophistication"; "This decision demonstrates his sense of fairness" [syn: attest, certify, manifest, demonstrate, evidence]
2: authenticate, affirm to be true, genuine, or correct, as in an official capacity; "I attest this signature"
3: give testimony in a court of law [syn: testify, attest, take the stand, bear witness]
4: establish or verify the usage of; "This word is not attested until 1993"

Merriam Webster's

verb Etymology: Middle French attester, from Latin attestari, from ad- + testis witness — more at testament Date: circa 1500 transitive verb 1. a. to affirm to be true or genuine; specifically to authenticate by signing as a witness b. to authenticate officially 2. to establish or verify the usage of 3. to be proof of ; manifest <her record attests her integrity> 4. to put on oath intransitive verb to bear witness ; testify <attest to a belief> Synonyms: see certify • attestation noun • attester noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. certify the validity of. 2 tr. enrol (a recruit) for military service. 3 intr. (foll. by to) bear witness to. 4 intr. enrol oneself for military service. Derivatives: attestable adj. attestor n. Etymology: F attester f. L attestari (as AD-, testis witness)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Attest At"test", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attested; p. pr. & vb. n. Attesting.] [L. attestari; ad + testari to bear witness: cf. F. attester.] 1. To bear witness to; to certify; to affirm to be true or genuine; as, to attest the truth of a writing, a copy of record. Facts . . . attested by particular pagan authors. --Addison. 2. To give proof of; to manifest; as, the ruins of Palmyra attest its ancient magnificence. 3. To call to witness; to invoke. [Archaic] The sacred streams which Heaven's imperial state Attests in oaths, and fears to violate. --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Attest At*test", n. Witness; testimony; attestation. [R.] The attest of eyes and ears. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(attests, attesting, attested) To attest something or attest to something means to say, show, or prove that it is true. (FORMAL) Police records attest to his long history of violence... I can personally attest that the cold and flu season is here... VERB: V to n, V that

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Witness, certify, indorse, confirm, ratify, corroborate, support, authenticate, seal, vouch for, bear out, set one's hand and seal to, bear witness to. 2. Adjure, invoke, call to witness. 3. Prove, show, exhibit, manifest, display, confess, give evidence or signs of.

Moby Thesaurus

acknowledge, affirm, allege, and candle, announce, approve, argue, assert, assert under oath, asseverate, assure, authenticate, aver, avouch, avow, back, back up, be sponsor for, bear out, bear witness, bespeak, betoken, bolster, bond, book, breathe, buttress, certify, circumstantiate, confirm, connote, corroborate, countersecure, declare, demonstrate, denote, depone, depose, disclose, display, document, endorse, ensure, evidence, evince, exhibit, express, fortify, furnish evidence, give evidence, give indication of, go to show, guarantee, guaranty, illustrate, imply, indicate, insure, involve, kiss the book, manifest, mark, point to, probate, prove, ratify, reinforce, secure, set forth, show, show signs of, sign, sign for, signalize, signify, speak for itself, speak volumes, sponsor, stand behind, stand up for, strengthen, subscribe to, substantiate, suggest, support, sustain, swear, swear by bell, swear the truth, swear to, swear to God, swear to goodness, symptomatize, tell, tend to show, testify, undergird, undersign, underwrite, uphold, validate, verify, vouch, vouch for, vouchsafe, vow, warrant, witness