Testify

Pronunciation: /ˈtɛstəˌfaɪ/

Definitions of testify

verb to make a formal statement based on personal knowledge or belief; to give evidence in a court of law

Example Sentences

A1 I testify that I saw the cat in the garden.

A2 The witness will testify in court tomorrow.

B1 She was asked to testify about what she saw at the crime scene.

B2 The expert was called to testify on the authenticity of the painting.

C1 The scientist was called to testify as an expert witness in the trial.

C2 The whistleblower testified against the corrupt officials in a public hearing.

Examples of testify in a Sentence

formal The witness was called to testify in court.

informal I had to testify about what I saw at the accident.

slang I ain't testifying against my friend, no way.

figurative The success of the new product will testify to the company's innovative approach.

Grammatical Forms of testify

• past tense: testified
• plural: testifies
• comparative: more testify
• superlative: most testify
• present tense: testify
• future tense: will testify
• perfect tense: has testified
• continuous tense: is testifying
• singular: testifies
• positive degree: testify
• infinitive: to testify
• gerund: testifying
• participle: testifying

Origin and Evolution of testify

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'testify' originated from the Latin word 'testificari', which is derived from 'testis' meaning witness and 'facere' meaning to make.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in legal contexts to refer to giving evidence as a witness, 'testify' has evolved to also mean to make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief in a broader sense.