testimony
nounUS /ˈtɛstɪmoʊni/ · UK /ˈtɛstɪməni/
Etymology PIE word *tréyes Inherited from Middle English testimonie, from Old French testimonie, from Latin testimōnium (“testimony”).
1
Law Statements made by a witness in court.
- The Missouri prosecutors' case against Clemons, based partly on incriminating testimony given by his co-defendants, was that Clemons was part of a group of four youths who accosted the sisters on the Chain of Rocks Bridge one dark night in April 1991.2012 August 21, Ed Pilkington, “Death penalty on trial: should Reggie Clemons live or die?”, in The Guardian:
- “The suspected cause of the death is believed to be the consumption of tainted alcoholic beverages,” KPL said. “Officials are in the process of collecting detailed information, evidence, and witness testimonies and are expected to release an official statement soon.”2024 November 21, Helen Regan, Isaac Yee and Eve Brennan, “Australian teens among six tourists dead as countries warn of suspected methanol poisonings in Laos”, in CNN:
2
An account of first-hand experience.
- [Thou] for the testimony of truth, hast borne / Universal reproach.1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
3
Lifestyle, Religion In a church service (or religious service), a personal account, such as one's conversion, testimony of faith, or life testimony.
4
Witness; evidence; proof of some fact.
- This new win is testimony to the tactical skill of their coach.
- And whoſoeuer ſhall not receiue you, noꝛ heare you, when yee depart thence, *ſhake off the duſt vnder your feet, foꝛ a teſtimonie against them: Uerely I ſay vnto you, it ſhalbe moꝛe tolerable for Sodom and Gomoꝛrha in the day of iudgement, then foꝛ that citie.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 6:11:
2 more examples
- We may never know the entire history of Atlantis. What little remains at the bottom of the ocean stands in mute testimony to a race of proud and naughty people, their majestic creations now home to fish and barnacles and octopuses.2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 38:
- Of course, the testimony of the early writers on orthography and pronunciation on the question under discussion is not always easy to interpret, especially when they offer comparisons with foreign sounds or when they give descriptions derived from other sources or from classical models.2021 July 28, Fausto Cercignani, “On the alleged existence of a vowel /yː/ in early Modern English”, in English Language and Linguistics, volume 26, number 2, Cambridge University Press, →DOI, page 4:
- Derived terms
- compel testimony
- Related terms
- test, testify, testimonial, testiphony