witness

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law

n. a person who gives evidence in a court of law.

n. a person called to provide testimony or evidence under oath in a judicial proceeding.

“The witness was nervous as she stood up to answer the lawyer's questions.”

“The prosecution called a surprise witness whose testimony directly contradicted the defendant's alibi for the night in question.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law Formal

n. someone who watches a formal event, like a wedding or the signing of a document, to prove it happened.

n. a person present at a formal transaction or ceremony to attest to its authenticity.

“You need two witnesses to sign the contract for it to be valid.”

“The solicitor acted as a witness during the signing of the will to ensure all legal requirements were strictly followed.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to see something happen with your own eyes.

v. to observe an event or development personally; often used for historical or significant occurrences.

“The city has witnessed many changes over the last fifty years.”

“Few people have witnessed such a dramatic transformation in the local economy within a single generation.”

C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical

v. to watch someone sign a legal document and then sign it yourself to prove it is real.

v. to attest to the genuineness of a signature or document by adding one's own signature as an observer.

“The bank manager witnessed my signature on the loan application.”

“The deed must be witnessed by an independent party who has no financial interest in the property being transferred.”

C1 · Advanced Formal · Literary

v. to be a sign or proof of something.

v. to serve as evidence or a clear sign of a particular quality or fact.

“His success witnesses his hard work and dedication to the project.”

“The crumbling ruins witness the former grandeur of an empire that once dominated the entire Mediterranean basin.”