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   witness

   /ˈwɪtnɪs/

   noun

   • 1. a person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place: "police are appealing for witnesses to the accident" Similar observeronlookerlooker-oneyewitnessspectatorviewerwatcherbystanderpasser-byearwitness
   • ▪ a person giving sworn testimony to a court of law or the police: "a key witness at the trial" Similar attestortestifierdeponent
   • ▪ a person who is present at the signing of a document and signs it themselves to confirm this: "a deed signed in the presence of a witness"
   • 2. evidence; proof: "the memorial service was witness to the wide circle of his interests" Similar evidenceindicationprooftestimony
   • ▪ used to refer to confirmation or evidence given by signature or under oath: "in witness thereof, the parties sign this document"
   • ▪ open profession of one's religious faith through words or actions: "they will be able to give witness of their faith and confidence in God"
   • 3. a line or remnant of an original surface on a workpiece to show how much material has been removed or the shape of the original outline.

   verb

   • 1. see (an event, typically a crime or accident) happen: "staff who witnessed the murder" Similar seeobservewatchlook on atbe a witness toviewnotenoticespotbe present atattendliterary:behold
   • ▪ be present as someone signs (a document) or gives (their signature) to a document and sign it oneself to confirm this: "the clerk witnessed her signature" Similar countersignsignendorsevalidatecertificatedocumentnotarize
   • 2. have knowledge of (a development) from observation or experience: "what we are witnessing is the birth of a new political entity"
   • ▪ be the place, period, or setting in which (an event or development) takes place: "the 1980s witnessed an unprecedented increase in the scope of the electronic media"
   • ▪ be a sign or proof of (something); serve as evidence: "the mid-1980s saw an intensification of interest in community care, as witnessed by the publication of four major reports" Similar attest tobe evidence/proof oftestify tobear witness toconfirmevidenceproveverifycorroboratesubstantiatebear outshowdemonstrateestablishbe a monument toindicaterevealliterary:bespeak
   • ▪ used to introduce an example that proves a preceding statement: "the nuclear family is a vulnerable institution—witness the rates of marital breakdown"
   • 3. openly profess one's religious faith: "one of the purposes of his coming was to nerve the disciples to witness to Jesus"

   Word Origin Old Englishwitnes (see wit1, -ness).

   Scrabble Points: 10

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     4

   • I

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   • T

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   • N

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   • E

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