witness

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To see something happen, especially an event or a crime.

   I witnessed the accident and had to testify in court.

2. 2
   noun

   A person who sees an event happen and can describe it.

   As a witness to the crash, she gave a statement to the police.

3. 3
   noun

   A person who gives evidence in a court of law.

   The witness for the prosecution did not seem very credible.

4. 4
   noun

   A person who watches an official act, such as a wedding or a signing, and confirms it took place.

   The best man served as a witness at the wedding.

Common collocations

• witness a shooting Verb + noun

From Middle English witnesse, from Old English ġewitnes, equivalent to wit + -ness. Cognate with Middle Dutch wetenisse (“witness, testimony”), Old High German gewiznessi (“testimony”), Icelandic vitni (“witness”).

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