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Promise definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PROM'ISE, n. [L. promissum, from promitto, to send before or forward; pro and mitto, to send.]
1. In a general sense, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it, either in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear a certain act specified; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made, a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of the act. The promise of a visit to my neighbor, gives him a right to expect it, and I am bound in honor and civility to perform the promise. Of such a promise human laws have no cognizance; but the fulfillment of it is one of the minor moralities, which civility, kindness and strict integrity require to be observed.
2. In law, a declaration, verbal or written, made by one person to another for a good or valuable consideration, in the nature of a covenant, by which the promiser binds himself, and as the case may be, his legal representatives, to do or forbear some act; and gives to the promisee a legal right to demand and enforce a fulfillment.
3. A binding declaration of something to be done or given for another's benefit; as the promise of a grant of land. A promise may be absolute or conditional; lawful or unlawful; express or implied. An absolute promise must be fulfilled at all events. The obligation to fulfill a conditional promise depends on the performance of the condition. An unlawful promise is not binding, because it is void; for it is incompatible with a prior paramount obligation of obedience to the laws. An express promise, is one expressed in words or writing. An implied promise, is one which reason and justice dictate. If I hire a man to perform a day's labor, without any declaration that I will pay him, the law presumes a promise on my part that I will give him a reasonable reward, and will enforce much implied promise.
4. Hopes; expectation, or that which affords expectation of future distinction; as a youth of great promise.
My native country was full of youthful promise.
5. That which is promised; fulfillment or grant of what is promised.
He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. Acts 1.
6. In Scripture,the promise of God is the declaration or assurance which God has given in his word of bestowing blessings on his people. Such assurance resting on the perfect justice,power, benevolence and immutable veracity of God, cannot fail of performance.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promises. 2 Peter 3.
PROM'ISE, v.t. To make a declaration to another, which binds the promiser in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear some act; as, to promise a visit to a friend; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money.
1. To afford reason to expect; as, the year promises a good harvest.
2. To make declaration or give assurance of some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow.
The proprietors promised large tracts of land.
PROM'ISE, v.i. To assure one by a promise or binding declaration. The man promises fair; let us forgive him.
1. To afford hopes or expectations; to give ground to expect good. The youth promises to be an eminent man; the wheat promises to be a good crop; the weather promises to be pleasant.
2. In popular use, this verb sometimes threatens or assures of evil. The rogue shall be punished, I promise you.
Will not the ladies be afraid of the lion?
--I fear it, I promise you.
In the latter example, promise is equivalent to declare; "I declare to you."
3. To promise one's self, to be assured or to have strong confidence.
I dare promise myself you will attest the truth of all I have advanced.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future
2: grounds for feeling hopeful about the future; "there is little or no promise that he will recover" [syn: promise, hope] v
1: make a promise or commitment [syn: promise, assure]
2: promise to undertake or give; "I promise you my best effort"
3: make a prediction about; tell in advance; "Call the outcome of an election" [syn: predict, foretell, prognosticate, call, forebode, anticipate, promise]
4: give grounds for expectations; "The new results were promising"; "The results promised fame and glory"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English promis, from Latin promissum, from neuter of promissus, past participle of promittere to send forth, promise, from pro- forth + mittere to send Date: 15th century 1. a. a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified b. a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act 2. reason to expect something <little promise of relief>; especially ground for expectation of success, improvement, or excellence <shows considerable promise> 3. something that is promised II. verb (promised; promising) Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to pledge to do, bring about, or provide <promise aid> 2. archaic warrant, assure 3. chiefly dialect betroth 4. to suggest beforehand ; give promise of <dark clouds promise rain> intransitive verb 1. to make a promise 2. to give ground for expectation ; be imminent • promisee noun • promisor also promiser noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 an assurance that one will or will not undertake a certain action, behaviour, etc. (a promise of help; gave a promise to be generous). 2 a sign or signs of future achievements, good results, etc. (a writer of great promise). --v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by to + infin., or that + clause; also absol.) make (a person) a promise, esp. to do, give, or procure (a thing) (I promise you a fair hearing; they promise not to be late; promised that he would be there; cannot positively promise). 2 a afford expectations of (the discussions promise future problems; promises to be a good cook). b (foll. by to + infin.) seem likely to (is promising to rain). 3 colloq. assure, confirm (I promise you, it will not be easy). 4 (usu. in passive) archaic betroth (she is promised to another). Phrases and idioms: the promised land 1 Bibl. Canaan (Gen.
12:7 etc.). 2 any desired place, esp. heaven. promise oneself look forward to (a pleasant time etc.). promise well (or ill etc.) hold out good (or bad etc.) prospects. Derivatives: promisee n. esp. Law. promiser n. promisor n. esp. Law. Etymology: ME f. L promissum neut. past part. of promittere put forth, promise (as PRO-(1), mittere send)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Promise Prom"ise, a. [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ] 1. In general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. --Gal. iii. 18. 2. (Law) An engagement by one person to another, either in words or in writing, but properly not under seal, for the performance or nonperformance of some particular thing. The word promise is used to denote the mere engagement of a person, without regard to the consideration for it, or the corresponding duty of the party to whom it is made. --Chitty. Parsons. Burrill. 3. That which causes hope, expectation, or assurance; especially, that which affords expectation of future distinction; as, a youth of great promise. --Shak. My native country was full of youthful promise. --W. Irving. 4. Bestowal, fulfillment, or grant of what is promised. He . . . commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. --Acts i. 4.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Promise Prom"ise, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Promised; p. pr. & vb. n. Promising.] 1. To engage to do, give, make, or to refrain from doing, giving, or making, or the like; to covenant; to engage; as, to promise a visit; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money. ``To promise aid.'' --Shak. 2. To afford reason to expect; to cause hope or assurance of; as, the clouds promise rain. --Milton. 3. To make declaration of or give assurance of, as some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow; as, the proprietors promised large tracts of land; the city promised a reward. Promised land. See Land of promise, under Land. To promise one's self. (a) To resolve; to determine; to vow. (b) To be assured; to have strong confidence. I dare promise myself you will attest the truth of all I have advanced. --Rambler.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Promise Prom"ise, v. i. 1. To give assurance by a promise, or binding declaration. 2. To afford hopes or expectation; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion? I fear it, I promise you. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(promises, promising, promised) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you promise that you will do something, you say to someone that you will definitely do it. The post office has promised to resume first class mail delivery to the area on Friday... He had promised that the rich and privileged would no longer get preferential treatment... Promise me you will not waste your time... 'We'll be back next year,' he promised... 'You promise?'—'All right, I promise.' VERB: V to-inf, V that, V n that, V with quote, V, also V n 2. If you promise someone something, you tell them that you will definitely give it to them or make sure that they have it. In 1920 the great powers promised them an independent state... The officers promise a return to multiparty rule. VERB: V n n, V n 3. A promise is a statement which you make to a person in which you say that you will definitely do something or give them something. If you make a promise, you should keep it... N-COUNT: oft N to-inf, N that 4. If a situation or event promises to have a particular quality or to be a particular thing, it shows signs that it will have that quality or be that thing. While it will be fun, the seminar also promises to be most instructive. VERB: V to-inf 5. If someone or something shows promise, they seem likely to be very good or successful. The boy first showed promise as an athlete in grade school. = potential

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

prom'-is (most frequently in the Old Testament dabhar, "speaking," "speech," and dabhar, "to speak" also 'amar, "to say," once in Ps 77:8, 'omer, "speech"; in the New Testament epaggelia, and the verbs epaggellomai, and compounds): Promise holds an important place in the Scriptures and in the development of the religion that culminated in Christ. The Bible is indeed full of "precious and exceeding great promises" (2Pe 1:4), although the word "promise" is not always used in connection with them. Of the more outstanding promises of the Old Testament may be mentioned:

(1) the proto-evangelium (Ge 3:15);

(2) the promise to Noah no more to curse the ground, etc. (Ge 8:21,22; 9:1-17);

(3) most influential, the promise to Abraham to make of him a great nation in whom all families of the earth should be blessed, to give to him and his seed the land of Canaan (Ge 12:2,7, etc.), often referred to in the Old Testament (Ex 12:25; De 1:8,11; 6:3; 9:28, etc.);

(4) the promise to David to continue his house on the throne (2Sa 7:12,13,18; 1Ki 2:24, etc.);

(5) the promise of restoration of Israel, of the Messiah, of the new and everlasting kingdom, of the new covenant and outpouring of the Spirit (Isa 2:2-5; 4:2; 55:5; 66:13; Jer 31:31-34; 32:37-42; 33:14; Eze 36:22-31; 37:11 f; 39:25 f, etc.).

In the New Testament these promises are founded on, and regarded as having their true fulfillment in, Christ and those who are His (2Co 1:20; Eph 3:6). The promise of the Spirit is spoken of by Jesus as "the promise of my Father" (Lu 24:49; Ac 1:4), and this was regarded as fulfilled at Pentecost. The promise of a Saviour of the seed of David is regarded as fulfilled in Christ (Ac 13:23,32, 26:6; Ro 1:2; 4:13; 9:4). Paul argues that the promise to Abraham that he should be "heir of the world," made to him before circumcision, is not confined to Israel, but is open to all who are children of Abraham by faith (Ro 4:13-16; compare Ga 3:16,19,29). In like manner the writer to the Hebrews goes back to the original promises, giving them a spiritual and eternal significance (4:1; 6:17; 11:9, etc.). The New Testament promises include manifold blessings and hopes, among them "life," "eternal life" (1Ti 4:8; 6:19; 2Ti 1:1; Jas 1:12), the "kingdom" (Jas 2:5), Christ's "coming" (2Pe 3:9, etc.), "new heavens and a new earth" (2Pe 3:13), etc. For "promise" and "promised" in the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) has frequently other terms, as "word" (Ps 105:42), "spake," "spoken" (De 10:9; Jos 9:21; 22:4; 23:5,15, etc.), "consented" (Lu 22:6), etc. References to the promises occur repeatedly in the Apocrypha (Baruch 2:34; 2 Macc 2:18; The Wisdom of Solomon 12:21; compare 2 Esdras 3:15; 5:29).

W. L. Walker

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Word, engagement, assurance, pledge. 2. Ground or basis of hope, earnest, pledge. 3. Bestowal, fulfilment, grant of what is promised. II. v. a. 1. Pledge, engage, covenant. 2. Give expectation of, excite a hope of, assure. 3. Pledge, engage to bestow. III. v. n. Engage, agree, stipulate, bargain, be sworn, pledge one's self, plight one's word, pass one's word, give assurance, make an agreement, tie one's self.

Moby Thesaurus

accede, accord, actuarial prediction, adumbration, afford hope, agree, agree to, agreement, apocalypse, arrangement, aspiration, assent, assumption, assurance, assure, assured faith, augur, augur well, augury, auspice, avouch, bargain, bargain for, be promising, bespeak, betoken, betokening, betokenment, bid fair, bid fair to, binding agreement, bond, capability, cartel, cheer, cheerful expectation, collective agreement, commitment, compact, confidence, consent, consortium, contract, convention, conviction, countersign, covenant, covenant of salt, deal, dependence, desire, dicker, do a deal, doomed hope, earnest, employment contract, engage, engagement, ensure, expectation, fair prospect, faith, fervent hope, foreboding, forecast, forecasting, foreshadow, foreshadowing, foreshowing, foresight, foretell, foretelling, foretoken, foretokening, formal agreement, give hope, give indication of, give prospect of, good cheer, good hope, great expectations, guarantee, guaranty, guesswork, have favorable odds, have good prospects, high hopes, hint, hint at, hold out hope, hold out promise, hope, hopeful prognosis, hopefulness, hopes, hoping, hoping against hope, imply, improbability, increase the chances, indicant, indicate, indication, inspire, inspire hope, inspirit, insure, ironclad agreement, justify hope, legal agreement, legal contract, likelihood, look like, make a deal, make a promise, make fair promise, make likely, make more likely, make probable, mutual agreement, oath, offer the expectation, omen, pact, paction, pass, pawn, pledge, plight, portent, potential, prayerful hope, prediction, prefiguration, prefigurement, prefiguring, preindication, premonitory shiver, premonitory sign, premonitory symptom, presage, presaging, presentiment, preshowing, presignifying, presumption, probability, probabilize, prognosis, prognostic, prognostication, prophecy, prophesying, prospect, prospects, prospectus, protocol, raise expectation, raise expectations, raise hope, reassure, reliance, sanguine expectation, security, seem likely, shadow, show a tendency, show signs of, sign, soothsay, speculation, stand fair to, statistical prediction, stipulate, stipulation, suggest, support, swear, token, tokening, transaction, troth, trust, type, understanding, undertake, undertaking, underwrite, union contract, valid contract, vaticination, vouch, vow, wage contract, warrant, warranty, well-grounded hope, word, word of honor