What does promise mean?
Definitions for promise
ˈprɒm ɪsprom·ise
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word promise.
Princeton's WordNet
promisenoun
a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future
promise, hopeverb
grounds for feeling hopeful about the future
"there is little or no promise that he will recover"
promise, assureverb
make a promise or commitment
promiseverb
promise to undertake or give
"I promise you my best effort"
predict, foretell, prognosticate, call, forebode, anticipate, promiseverb
make a prediction about; tell in advance
"Call the outcome of an election"
promiseverb
give grounds for expectations
"The new results were promising"; "The results promised fame and glory"
Wiktionary
promisenoun
An oath or affirmation; a vow.
promisenoun
A transaction between two persons whereby the first person undertakes in the future to render some service or gift to the second person or devotes something valuable now and here to his use.
promiseverb
to commit to something or action; to make an oath; make a vow.
Wikipedia
Promise
A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something. As a noun promise means a declaration assuring that one will or will not do something. As a verb it means to commit oneself by a promise to do or give. It can also mean a capacity for good, similar to a value that is to be realized in the near future.In the law of contract, an exchange of promises is usually held to be legally enforceable, according to the Latin maxim pacta sunt servanda.
Webster Dictionary
Promiseadjective
in general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseadjective
an engagement by one person to another, either in words or in writing, but properly not under seal, for the performance or nonperformance of some particular thing. The word promise is used to denote the mere engagement of a person, without regard to the consideration for it, or the corresponding duty of the party to whom it is made
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseadjective
that which causes hope, expectation, or assurance; especially, that which affords expectation of future distinction; as, a youth of great promise
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseadjective
bestowal, fulfillment, or grant of what is promised
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseverb
to engage to do, give, make, or to refrain from doing, giving, or making, or the like; to covenant; to engage; as, to promise a visit; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseverb
to afford reason to expect; to cause hope or assurance of; as, the clouds promise rain
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseverb
to make declaration of or give assurance of, as some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow; as, the proprietors promised large tracts of land; the city promised a reward
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseverb
to give assurance by a promise, or binding declaration
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Promiseverb
to afford hopes or expectation; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil
Etymology: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]
Freebase
Promise
A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something. As a noun promise means a declaration assuring that one will or will not do something. As a verb it means to commit oneself by a promise to do or give. It can also mean a capacity for good, similar to a value that is to be realized in the near future. In the law of contract, an exchange of promises is usually held to be legally enforceable, according to the Latin maxim pacta sunt servanda.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Promise
prom′is, n. an engagement made by a person either verbally or in writing to do or keep from doing something: expectation or that which causes expectation: a ground for hope of future excellence: (rare) fulfilment of what is promised.—v.t. to make an engagement to do or not to do something: to afford reason to expect: to assure: to engage to bestow.—v.i. to assure one by a promise: to afford hopes or expectations: (rare) to stand sponsor.—ns. Prom′ise-breach (Shak.), violation of promise; Prom′ise-break′er (Shak.), a violator of promises.—adj. Prom′ise-crammed (Shak.), crammed or filled with promises.—ns. Promisēē′, the person to whom a promise is made; Prom′iser, Prom′isor.—adj. Prom′ising, affording ground for hope or expectation: likely to turn out well.—advs. Prom′isingly; Prom′issorily.—adj. Prom′issory, containing a promise of some engagement to be fulfilled.—n. Prom′issory-note, a note by one person promising to pay a sum of money to another, or to bearer, at a certain date, or at sight, or on demand.—Promised land, the land promised by God to Abraham and his seed: Canaan: heaven.—Be promised (rare), to have an engagement; Breach of promise (see Breach); Conditional promise, a promise of which the obligation depends on certain conditions—opp. to Absolute promise; Express promise, a promise expressed orally or in writing; The Promise, the assurance of God to Abraham that his descendants should become the chosen people. [Fr. promesse—L. promissa, promittĕre, to send forward—pro, forward, mittĕre, to send.]
Editors Contribution
promise
Agree to do or complete an act.
They made a promise to marry on a specific date this year which is easily achieved.
Submitted by MaryC on January 10, 2020
Matched Categories
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'promise' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3847
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'promise' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4171
Nouns Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'promise' in Nouns Frequency: #1255
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'promise' in Verbs Frequency: #321
Anagrams for promise »
imposer, semipro
Semipro
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of promise in Chaldean Numerology is: 3
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of promise in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Examples of promise in a Sentence
You can't trust a promise someone makes while they're drunk, in love, hungry, or running for office.
It is only rarely that one can see in a little boy the promise of a man, but one can almost always see in a little girl the threat of a woman.
The time is now for the American people to rally for these changes, these are my first public comments on the issue of gun violence, but I can promise you they will not be my last.
I wish I could freely go down this road into the North, it's too bad that they're not keeping their promise, which is what always worries us.
We've seen broken promise after broken promise.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for promise
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- beloweAfrikaans
- تعهد, أوعد, وعدArabic
- promesa, prometreCatalan, Valencian
- slib, slíbitCzech
- addoWelsh
- løfteDanish
- VersprechenGerman
- ŋugbedodoEwe
- υπόσχομαιGreek
- promeso, promesiEsperanto
- prometer, promesaSpanish
- نوید وعده قولPersian
- luvata, lupausFinnish
- vœu, promettre, promesseFrench
- gealltanasScottish Gaelic
- prometer, promesaGalician
- הבטיח, הבטחה, נדרHebrew
- वचन देना, शपथ, सौगन्द, वचनHindi
- pwomètHaitian Creole
- megígér, ígér, ígéretHungarian
- խոստում, խոստանալArmenian
- berjanji, menjanjikanIndonesian
- promisarIdo
- loforð, heita, lofa, strengja heitIcelandic
- promettere, giuramento, voto, giurare, promessaItalian
- הַבטָחָהHebrew
- 約束する, 約束Japanese
- ಭರವಸೆKannada
- 약속Korean
- بهڵێن, بهڵێندانKurdish
- polliceor, promissio, promissum, promittoLatin
- Verspriechen, VerspriechungLuxembourgish, Letzeburgesch
- JanjiMalay
- beloven, belofteDutch
- love, løfteNorwegian
- ałgáádeitʼááh, ádee hazhdidziihNavajo, Navaho
- obiecać, obietnicaPolish
- prometer, promessaPortuguese
- promisiune, legământ, promiteRomanian
- обещание, обещатьRussian
- शपथ, व्रत, प्रतिज्ञा, वचनSanskrit
- obljubiti, obljubaSlovene
- löfte, lovaSwedish
- ahadiSwahili
- ఒట్టుTelugu
- ให้สัญญาThai
- söz vermek, vaat, sözTurkish
- شپتھ, وعدہUrdu
- lời hứaVietnamese
- léríYoruba
- 诺言Chinese
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"promise." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2022. Web. 28 May 2022. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/promise>.
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