DEFINITIONS
The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...

vouchsafe

[ vouch-seyf ]
/ vaʊtʃˈseɪf /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR vouchsafe ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), vouch·safed, vouch·saf·ing.

to grant or give, as by favor, graciousness, or condescension: to vouchsafe a reply to a question.
to allow or permit, as by favor or graciousness: They vouchsafed his return to his own country.

verb (used without object), vouch·safed, vouch·saf·ing.

to condescend; deign.

Words related to vouchsafe

give, grant, yield, concede, favor, bestow, condescend, award, deign

Words nearby vouchsafe

vou., vouch, vouchee, voucher, voucher system, vouchsafe, vouge, voussoir, vouvray, vow, vowel

Origin of vouchsafe

1275–1325; Middle English phrase vouche sauf. See vouch, safe

OTHER WORDS FROM vouchsafe

vouch·safe·ment, nounun·vouch·safed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for vouchsafe

British Dictionary definitions for vouchsafe

vouchsafe
/ (ˌvaʊtʃˈseɪf) /

verb (tr)

to give or grant or condescend to give or grantshe vouchsafed no reply; he vouchsafed me no encouragement
(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to agree, promise, or permit, often graciously or condescendinglyhe vouchsafed to come yesterday
obsolete
  1. to warrant as being safe
  2. to bestow as a favour (upon)

Derived forms of vouchsafe

vouchsafement, noun

Word Origin for vouchsafe

C14: vouchen sauf; see vouch, safe
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012