I. wit ‧ ness 1 S2 W3 /ˈwɪtnəs, ˈwɪtnɪs/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: witnes 'knowledge, account, witness' , from wit ; ⇨ ↑ wit ]
1 . CRIME/ACCIDENT [countable] someone who sees a crime or an accident and can describe what happened:
Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.
witness to
One witness to the accident said the driver appeared to be drunk.
an eye witness (=someone who sees an event) to the robbery
⇨ ↑ eyewitness
2 . IN A COURT OF LAW [countable] someone who appears in a court of law to say what they know about a crime or other event ⇨ testify
key/star/principal witness
the key witness in the case against the brothers
The defence is expected to call them as witnesses.
witness for the prosecution/defence (also prosecution/defence witness) (=someone the prosecution or defence lawyers choose as a witness in order to help prove their case) ⇨ ↑ expert witness
3 . SIGNING A DOCUMENT [countable] someone who is present when an official document is signed, and who signs it too, to say that they saw it being signed
witness to
a witness to a will
4 . be witness to something formal to be present when something happens, and watch it happening:
We were witness to the worst excesses of the military.
5 . CHRISTIAN BELIEF [uncountable and countable] American English a public statement of strong Christian belief, or someone who makes such a statement
⇨ bear witness at ↑ bear 1 (15)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + witness
▪ a key witness (=a very important witness)
Rupert is expected to be a key witness at the trial.
▪ a star witness (=an important witness who says things that help one side a lot)
The judge ruled that the state’s star witness had lied on the stand.
▪ a principal witness (=a main witness)
The principal witness was too ill to testify.
▪ an expert witness (=someone who has special knowledge, for example of medicine, and who talks about it in court)
The jury had to choose between the conflicting testimonies of expert witnesses.
▪ a character witness (=a witness who says that the person being tried is a good person)
He said he would gladly be a character witness for her.
▪ a prosecution witness
During the trial, over thirty prosecution witnesses were called.
▪ a defence witness
A defence witness said that Carter was not holding a gun when the shot was fired.
■ phrases
▪ a witness for the prosecution/defence
Witnesses for the prosecution have not sounded convincing.
■ verbs
▪ call a witness (=require a witness to speak in court)
She was the final witness to be called.
▪ question a witness
They were not permitted to question government witnesses.
▪ cross-examine a witness (=ask them questions about what they have said)
His attorney cross-examined the witness.
▪ appear as a witness
He appeared as an expert witness at several government enquiries.
▪ a witness testifies (=makes a statement)
We had two witnesses who testified that they had seen him hitting his wife.
▪ a witness gives evidence
Child witnesses gave evidence using closed circuit television cameras.
■ witness + NOUN
▪ the witness box/stand (=where the witness sits when speaking in court)
He spent three hours in the witness stand.
▪ the statement/testimony of a witness (=what a witness says)
The testimony of one witness led to his conviction.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ In a court
▪ defendant the person who is on trial for a crime
▪ the defence British English , the defense American English the lawyers who are working for the defendant
▪ the prosecution the lawyers who are trying to prove that the defendant is guilty
▪ judge the official in charge of a court who decides how criminals should be punished
▪ jury a group of people, usually 12 people, who listen to the facts and decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty
▪ witness someone who describes in a court of law what he or she knows about a crime
▪ testimony a formal statement made in a court of law about a particular situation or action
▪ verdict the decision of the jury as to whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty
II. witness 2 BrE AmE verb
1 . CRIME/ACCIDENT [transitive] to see something happen, especially a crime or accident:
Several residents claim to have witnessed the attack.
2 . EXPERIENCE SOMETHING [transitive] to experience important events or changes:
Priests have witnessed an increase in religious intolerance.
3 . TIME/PLACE [transitive] if a time or place witnesses an event, the event happens during that time or in that place:
Recent years have witnessed the collapse of the steel industry.
4 . OFFICIAL DOCUMENT [transitive] if you witness the signing of an official document, you are there when it is signed, and sign it yourself to prove this:
Will you witness my signature?
5 . witness something ( also ..., as witnessed by something ) used to introduce an example that proves something you have just mentioned:
Bad economic times can result in political dictatorships. Witness Germany in the 1930s.
6 . RELIGION [intransitive] to speak publicly about your Christian beliefs ⇨ testify