vouch

American  

[vouch] / vaʊtʃ /

verb (used without object)

1. to support as being true, certain, reliable, etc. (usually followed byfor ).

   Her record in office vouches for her integrity.

2. to attest; guarantee; certify (usually followed byfor ).

   to vouch for someone in a business transaction.

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verb (used with object)

1. to sustain or uphold by, or as if by, practical proof or demonstration.

2. (formerly) to call or summon (a person) into court to make good a warranty of title.

3. to adduce or quote in support, as extracts from a book or author; cite in warrant or justification, as authority, instances, facts, etc.

4. Archaic. to warrant or attest; to support or authenticate with vouchers.

5. Archaic. to declare as with warrant; vouch for.

6. Obsolete. to call or take as a witness.

noun

Obsolete.

1. a vouching; an assertion.

2. a formal attestation; a supporting warrant.

vouch British  

/ vaʊtʃ /

verb

1. to give personal assurance; guarantee

   I'll vouch for his safety

2. to furnish supporting evidence (for) or function as proof (of)

3. (tr) English legal history to summon (a person who had warranted title to land) to defend that title or give up land of equal value

4. archaic (tr) to cite (authors, principles, etc) in support of something

5. obsolete (tr) to assert

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noun

1. obsolete the act of vouching; assertion or allegation

Other Word Forms

• unvouched
  adjective
• well-vouched
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of vouch

1275–1325; Middle English vouchen < Anglo-French, Middle French vo ( u ) cher, Old French avochier < Latin advocāre; see advocate

Explanation

If you vouch for someone, you provide evidence or guarantee something on their behalf. If you vouch for your brother, you're saying he's a stand-up type of guy. First used in the 14th century, vouch comes from the Latin vocitare, ("to call, call upon, or summon"). Sometimes it can mean offering supporting evidence, as when, for example, you're summoned to court to testify on someone's behalf. If you write a letter of recommendation for a student or co-worker, you vouch for their character and abilities. If you take out a student loan, the government will automatically vouch for you, that is, they'll guarantee the loan will be repaid.

Example Sentences

The members of a trust network fill out online surveys, identifying themselves — which is then verified by Vouch — and they agree to have their own credit histories looked up.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2015

By now, Mr. Lee said, Vouch has made “hundreds” of loans ranging in size from $500 to $15,000.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2015

Vouch Financial, which is emerging from its pilot testing phase this week, has an unusual spin on the data science approach.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2015

That is not an issue at Vouch, which, Mr. Lewis said, is “exploring a wholly different dimension of consumers’ creditworthiness.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2015

A Disciple ask’d a Master, “By what Token should a Father Vouch for his reputed Son?”

From Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám and Salámán and Absál Together With A Life Of Edward Fitzgerald And An Essay On Persian Poetry By Ralph Waldo Emerson by FitzGerald, Edward