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vouchsafe

[vouch-seyf]
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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.

RELATED WORDS

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

Nearby words

  1. vou.,
  2. vouch,
  3. vouchee,
  4. voucher,
  5. voucher system,
  6. vouge,
  7. voussoir,
  8. vouvray,
  9. vow,
  10. vowel

Origin of vouchsafe

1275–1325; Middle English phrase vouche sauf. See vouch, safe
Related formsvouch·safe·ment, nounun·vouch·safed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for vouchsafe

British Dictionary definitions for vouchsafe

vouchsafe

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 Formsvouchsafement, 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
Word Origin and History for vouchsafe

vouchsafe

v.

c.1300, vouchen safe "to vouch as safe" (see vouch and safe).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper