bear witness
Americanidiom
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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.
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to proclaim or demonstrate a devout belief in.
Who will join me in bearing witness to our Lord?
-
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.
Etymology
Origin of bear witness
First recorded in 1300–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Logic dictates that England's role on Saturday will be to simply bear witness to France's title-winning coronation.
From BBC
Brent believed deeply in the responsibility of journalists to document history and bear witness.
From Los Angeles Times
Both of her brothers — one a film director, the other a journalist — moved to Ukraine and have borne witness to the war, which has given her “another level of experiencing this horror,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times
“They are coming to Congress because we have the responsibility to not only bear witness to these crimes, but to do something to make sure they don’t happen again.”
From Los Angeles Times
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, said he understood the risk of people trying to bear witness and document the actions of federal agents.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
