I. ˈprämə̇s noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English promis, promisse, from Latin promissum, from neuter of promissus, past participle of promittere to send forth, promise, from pro- forth + mittere to send — more at pro- , smite
1.
a. : a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified
never gave a promise that he did not intend to keep
miserable record of broken promises
effort of the Conservative government to validate its promise to denationalize the steel industry — Alzada Comstock
b. : an undertaking however expressed that something will happen or that something will not happen in the future ; specifically : a declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act — compare agreement , cause , consideration , contract , pact
c. : a formal pledge of loyalty to various aims required by an organization
the Girl Scout promise
2.
a. : ground for expectation usually of success, improvement, or excellence
young poets of promise
our time is … poised between promise and despair — Norman Cousins
b. : appearance, character, or quality that gives or seems to give such ground of expectation
book shows promise of popular appeal — R.G.Albion
3. : something that is promised
I'll claim that promise at your Grace's hand — Shakespeare
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English promisen, from promis, n.
transitive verb
1. : to engage to do or bring about (as something desired or pleasing) : give assurance or promise of
promised to be careful
promised assistance whenever it should be needed
promised his son a new bicycle
promised the court to be ready
promise me that you will tell no one
2. archaic : to affirm to someone the truth or certainty of (something stated) : warrant , assure
I do not like thy look, I promise thee — Shakespeare
3. chiefly dialect : betroth
she was happy, bein' promised to the son o' Farmer Brown — J.W.Riley
4. : to give ground for expecting : foretoken
gray skies promising rain
promises to be the best game of the season
5. : to execute (as a note) as promisor
intransitive verb
1. : to give one's word to do or refrain from doing something
you always promise , and you never do it
2. : to give ground for expectation : be imminent or threatening
there had been a little rain, and more was promising — George Farwell
the venture promises well
Synonyms:
engage , pledge , plight , covenant , contract : promise indicates the giving of a stated assurance about some future act or action
he promised to pay the bill
she promised the child a new toy
the amnesty promised by the king to political prisoners — Current Biography
Sometimes it signifies a giving of evidence or indication rather than a granting of one's word
the child promises to be tall
the night before it had rained and more rain was promised — Sherwood Anderson
engage is used in formal or consequential situations to indicate a promising regarded as binding and one to be relied on, often concerning conduct over a period of time
“You couldn't make some arrangement?” she asked. “ Engage somebody to stay with him, or — or send him away?” — Ellen Glasgow
engaged to be married
pledge , aside from uses in connection with drives and charities
to pledge a dollar to a special church fund
may apply to solemn binding assurance concerning a consequential matter
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands — Francis Bellamy
thirteen of the 26 delegates were pledged to bolt the convention — Collier's Year Book
Austria swarmed with excited and angry men pledged to destroy the Church — Hilaire Belloc
plight , indicating solemn promise, now exists mainly in stereotyped phrases
to plight one's troth
although it is occasionally used elsewhere
if for America it is too violent a wrench to plight its fate with Europe — Nathaniel Peffer
covenant stresses formality and seriousness of intent in promises
covenanted to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland — Rose Macaulay
the seller covenants to indemnify the purchaser if these provisions cannot be fulfilled
contract may suggest definite agreements to be relied on in business and legal affairs
the John Doe company has contracted to supply the equipment
he contracted to pay the interest on his brother's debts