I.
noun
1 person who sees sth
ADJECTIVE
▪ crucial ( esp. BrE ), key , material , vital ( esp. BrE )
▪
As the last person to see her alive, he was a material ~ in the case.
▪ independent ( esp. BrE )
▪ credible , reliable
▪ unreliable
▪ silent ( figurative )
▪
The ancient temples bear silent ~ to the passing dynasties.
VERB + WITNESS
▪ appeal for ( esp. BrE )
▪
The police are appealing for ~es.
▪ trace
▪
Police have so far failed to trace any ~es to the attack.
WITNESS + VERB
▪ come forward
▪
Two ~es came forward with evidence.
▪ report
▪
Witnesses reported that the suspect was a white male.
WITNESS + NOUN
▪ account , statement ( esp. BrE )
PREPOSITION
▪ according to ~
▪
According to ~es, the thief escaped through the bedroom window.
▪ ~ to
▪
a ~ to murder
2 in a court of law
ADJECTIVE
▪ chief , main , principal ( esp. BrE ), star ( esp. AmE )
▪
the prosecution's chief ~
▪ potential
▪ reluctant , unwilling
▪ hostile
▪ defence/defense , prosecution
▪ federal , state , state's (all AmE )
▪ expert
▪ character
▪ civilian , police ( BrE )
VERB + WITNESS
▪ call , subpoena , summon ( esp. BrE )
▪
The defence called their first ~.
▪ be called as , be subpoenaed as , be summoned as ( esp. BrE )
▪
He was subpoenaed as a ~ in a bankruptcy case.
▪ appear as
▪
She appeared as a character ~.
▪ swear in
▪ cross-examine , examine , interrogate , interview , question
▪ hear
▪ discredit
▪ intimidate , threaten
▪
A judicial investigation was ordered, but ~es were threatened and none would testify.
▪ protect
WITNESS + VERB
▪ be sworn in , take the stand
▪
The next ~ took the stand.
▪ give evidence , testify
▪ state sth
▪ identify sb
▪
She was the only ~ to identify Peters as the attacker.
WITNESS + NOUN
▪ box ( BrE ), stand ( AmE )
▪ summons ( BrE )
▪ testimony ( esp. AmE )
▪ intimidation ( esp. BrE ), tampering ( esp. AmE )
▪
The jury convicted him on two counts of ~ tampering.
▪ protection
▪
She went into a ~ protection program. ( AmE )
▪
He was placed on a ~ protection scheme. ( BrE )
PHRASES
▪ a ~ for the defence/defense , a ~ for the prosecution
3 of a signature
VERB + WITNESS
▪ act as
WITNESS + VERB
▪ sign
PREPOSITION
▪ in front of ~
▪
the marriage contract is signed in front of ~es
▪ ~ to
▪
Would you be willing to act as a ~ to my signature when I sign my will?
II.
verb
Witness is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑ century , ↑ decade
Witness is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ act , ↑ beginning , ↑ collapse , ↑ crime , ↑ death , ↑ decline , ↑ destruction , ↑ display , ↑ downturn , ↑ emergence , ↑ erosion , ↑ escalation , ↑ event , ↑ execution , ↑ explosion , ↑ horror , ↑ improvement , ↑ incident , ↑ miracle , ↑ murder , ↑ revival , ↑ scene , ↑ shift , ↑ sight , ↑ signature , ↑ spectacle , ↑ suffering , ↑ tragedy , ↑ transformation , ↑ violence