bear witness

[bair wit-nis]

idiom

1. to serve as evidence that something is true or real.

   Not everyone’s sobriety can bear witness to the effectiveness of rehab, but in her case it most certainly can.

2. to proclaim or demonstrate a devout belief in.

   Who will join me in bearing witness to our Lord?

3. to testify; give or afford evidence, as in a court of law.

   When the case went to trial, he reluctantly agreed to bear witness against his neighbor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bear witness¹

First recorded in 1300–50

Example Sentences

The state legislature’s medical affairs committee’s first hearing on the bill last month saw hundreds of South Carolinians gathered to testify and bear witness.

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The statement adds that the artefacts "bear witness to the history of the encounter between faith and the cultures of the indigenous peoples".

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The assembled liturgical objects, save one, bear witness to the highest levels of European artistry and craftsmanship of the period.

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It looked like the whole town was there to bear witness to the sad event.

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The point, simply, was being together, bearing witness to each other’s lives, week by week, as women and as friends.

Read more on Los Angeles Times