Dictionary

promise en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈpɹɔ̟mɪs] (New-Zealand)
• /ˈpɹɑmɪs/ (Atlantic-Canada, General-American)
• /ˈpɹɒmɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpɹɔmɪs/ (Australia)
• (California) audio
• /ˈpɹɒmɪs/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US

Etymology

From Middle English promis, promisse, borrowed from Old French promesse, from Medieval Latin prōmissa, Latin prōmissum (“a promise”), feminine and neuter past participles of prōmittō (“to send forth, to say beforehand, to promise”), from pro (“forth”) + mittere (“to send”); see mission. Compare admit, commit, permit, etc. Displaced native ġehātan (“to promise”) and ġehāt (“a promise”).

Meanings

1. (countable) An oath or affirmation; a vow.
   • He broke his promise: he said he'd return my jewellery, but never did.
   • I asked him not to, and we all heard his promise that he wouldn't.
   • When I make a promise, I always stick to it.
2. (countable) A transaction between two persons whereby the first person undertakes in the future to render some service or gift to the second person or devotes something valuable now and here to their use.
   • He purſued Andrew Houſtoun upon his promiſe, to give him the like Sallary for the next year, and in abſence obtained him to be holden as confeſt and Decerned. 1668 July 3rd, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), pages 547–548
3. (countable) Something promised.
   • That jewelry was a promise to me.
4. (uncountable) Reason to expect improvement or success; potential.
   • Your claim has little promise in court.
   • My native country was full of youthful promise. 1819 June 23 – 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “(please specify the title)”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC:
   • She shows great promise as an actress.
   • The dream of a Northwest Passage lured European explorers for centuries with the promise of a quick, if hazardous, Arctic sea route across the New World to the wealth of Asia. 1989 May, Jeff MacInnis, “Braving the Northwest Passage”, in National Geographic, volume 175, number 5, page 586:
   • His grade are poor, but I see promise in him.
   • The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, so that the actual structure which had come down to posterity retained the secret magic of a promise rather than the overpowering splendour of a great architectural achievement. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
5. (countable) A placeholder object representing the eventual result of an asynchronous operation.
   • You can often use observables instead of promises to deliver values asynchronously. 2023 August 25, “Observables compared to other techniques”, in Angular 17 documentation, Google:
6. (countable, obsolete) Bestowal or fulfillment of what is promised.
   • It is time they receive their promise.
   • He […] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 1:4:

Forms

Translations (165)

kmr soz (vow) · gv gialdin (vow) · ur وَعْدَہ (vow) · lt pažadas (vow) · ky убада (vow) · sa वचन (vow) · fa-ira وَعْدِه (vow) · ko 약속 (vow) · grc ἐπαγγελία (vow) · sa प्रतिज्ञा (vow) · mt wegħda (vow) · mk ветување (vow) · mn амлалт (vow) · hu ígéret (vow) · cs slib (vow) · pl obietnica (vow) · ru обеща́ние (vow) · be абяца́ньне (vow) · bg обеща́ние (vow) · uz soʻz (vow) · tr vaat (vow) · es promisión (transaction) · ga gealltanas (vow) · sq zotim (vow) · hil panaad (vow) · lb Verspriechen (vow) · trk-oat سوز (vow) · cmn 誓言 (vow) · my ခံဝန်ချက် (vow) · vec inpromésa (vow) · ro făgăduință (vow) · tpi promis (vow) · cmn 諾言 /诺言 (vow) · es promisión (vow) · uz vaʼda (vow) · fo lyfti (vow) · tg қавл (vow) · lv solījums (vow) · ota سوز (vow) · gl promesa (vow) · it promessa (transaction) · ps وعده (vow) · ba вәғәҙә (vow) · war sa-ad (vow) · kmr newîn (vow) · cmn 許諾 /许诺 (vow) · ar وَعْد (vow) · az vəd (vow) · acw وَعَد (vow) · kk уағда (vow) · ast promesa (vow) · br promesa (vow) · ne वचन (vow) · mnb dhandi (vow) · la prōmissiō (transaction) · tr söz (vow) · lb Verspriechung (transaction) · sl obljuba (vow) · uk обіця́нка (vow) · bn অঙ্গীকার (vow) · hi वचन (vow) · lb Verspriechung (vow) · bn প্রতিশ্রুতি (vow) · sa सत्यवचन (vow) · grc ὑπόσχεσις (vow) · nn løfte (vow) · nl belofte (vow) · ar وَعْدَة (vow) · sv löfte (vow) · fa-ira قُول (vow) · fi lupaus (vow) · tg ваъда (vow) · ru по́сул (vow) · kmr belên (vow) · de Versprechen (vow) · tk wada (vow) · ro legământ (vow) · ckb بەڵێن (vow) · vo prom (vow) · ln elaka (vow) · ca promesa (vow) · tt вәгъдә (vow) · swb wahadi (vow) · hi प्रण (vow) · prs وَعْدَه (vow) · ota وعد (vow) · et lubadus (vow) · th สัญญา (vow) · el υπόσχεση (vow) · co prumèssa (vow) · fr promesse (vow) · az söz (vow) · de Versprechen (transaction) · la prōmissum (vow) · sh obećánje (vow) · da løfte (vow) · sco behecht (vow) · prs قَول (vow) · nds Verspriäken (vow) · si පොරොන්දුව (vow) · sk sľub (vow) · he הַבְטָחָה (vow) · nb løfte (vow) · arz وعد (vow) · ug ۋەدە (vow) · es promesa (transaction) · my ကတိ (vow) · it voto (vow) · km ពាក្យសន្យា (vow) · yi צוזאָג (vow) · la prōmissum (transaction) · fr promesse (transaction) · tl pangako (vow) · so wacad (vow) · ja 約束 (vow) · fo eiti (vow) · sa व्रत (vow) · eo promeso (vow) · kmr wad (vow) · he נֶדֶר (vow) · gag söz (vow) · hi सौगन्द (vow) · es promesa (vow) · te ఒట్టు (vow) · cmn 答應 /答应 (vow) · lo ຄຳສັນຍາ (vow) · kmr ehd (vow) · cy addewid (vow) · ka დაპირება (vow) · la promissiō (vow) · bni elaka (vow) · it giuramento (vow) · hi प्रतिज्ञा (vow) · hi वादा (vow) · nv ahaʼdeetʼaah (transaction) · sc promissa (vow) · ro promisiune (vow) · ang ġehāt (vow) · mi kupu taurangi (vow) · sa शपथ (vow) · be абяца́нне (vow) · ps ژمنه (vow) · ps واده (vow) · sq premtim (vow) · kk уәде (vow) · vi lời hứa (vow) · trk-oat وعد (vow) · hi शपथ (vow) · tk söz (vow) · ia promissa (vow) · hy խոստում (vow) · it promessa (vow) · fr vœu (vow) · sh обећа́ње (vow) · is loforð (vow) · ro făgăduială (vow) · gd gealltanas (vow) · gl promesa (transaction) · sw ahadi (vow) · ee ŋugbedodo (vow) · lb Verspriechen (transaction) · pms promëssa (vow) · cmn 承諾 /承诺 (vow) · pt promessa (vow) · ms janji (vow)

promise en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈpɹɔ̟mɪs] (New-Zealand)
• /ˈpɹɑmɪs/ (Atlantic-Canada, General-American)
• /ˈpɹɒmɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpɹɔmɪs/ (Australia)
• (California) audio
• /ˈpɹɒmɪs/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US

Etymology

From Middle English promis, promisse, borrowed from Old French promesse, from Medieval Latin prōmissa, Latin prōmissum (“a promise”), feminine and neuter past participles of prōmittō (“to send forth, to say beforehand, to promise”), from pro (“forth”) + mittere (“to send”); see mission. Compare admit, commit, permit, etc. Displaced native ġehātan (“to promise”) and ġehāt (“a promise”).

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive, ditransitive) To commit to (some action or outcome), or to assure (a person) of such commitment; to make an oath or vow.
   • Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today. 2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 70:
   • If you promise not to tell anyone, I will let you have this cake for free.
   • "You think that I'll take anything." "I know you will, sweet." … "There wasn't going to be any of that. You promised there wouldn't be." "Well, there is now," she said sweetly. 1936 Aug., Ernest Hemingway, "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber", Cosmopolitan
   • She promised to never return to this town again.
   • He promised me a big kiss if I would drive him to the airport.
   • I can't promise success, but I'll do the best I can.
2. (ambitransitive) To give grounds for expectation, especially of something good.
   • The clouds promise rain.
   • I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me. I look upon notoriety with the same indifference as on the buttons on a man's shirt-front, or the crest on his note-paper. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

underpromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · a promise made is a promise kept (terms derived from noun and verb) · breach of promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · promise the earth (terms derived from noun and verb) · promise the stars (terms derived from noun and verb) · promisable (terms derived from noun and verb) · forepromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · promiseful (terms derived from noun and verb) · promise the moon (terms derived from noun and verb) · a promise is a promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · mispromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · promise the world (terms derived from noun and verb) · repromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · outpromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · on a promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · a lick and a promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · overpromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · promiseless (terms derived from noun and verb) · lick and a promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · promise ring (terms derived from noun and verb) · pinky promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · unpromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · prepromise (terms derived from noun and verb) · promiser (terms derived from noun and verb) · election promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · break one's promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · break a promise (terms derived from noun and verb) · break-promise (terms derived from noun and verb)

Relateds

promisor · promised · promising · promisee · promissory

Synonyms

stipulate

Translations (126)

orv обѣчати (to commit to something) · ms berjanji (to commit to something) · he הִבְטִיחַ (to commit to something) · ru пообеща́ть (to commit to something) · mn амлах (to commit to something) · vo promön (to commit to something) · fa قول دادن (to commit to something) · nrf promettre (to commit to something) · vi hứa (to commit to something) · uk пообіця́ти (to commit to something) · orv обѣщати (to commit to something) · nn lova (to commit to something) · el υπόσχομαι (to commit to something) · sk sľubovať (to commit to something) · hy խոստանալ (to commit to something) · ky сөз берүү (to commit to something) · yi צוזאָגן (to commit to something) · grc ἐπαγγέλλομαι (to commit to something) · af belowe (to commit to something) · tl mangako (to commit to something) · acw وَعَد (to commit to something) · es prometer (to commit to something) · it promettere (to commit to something) · ru обеща́ть (to commit to something) · ko 약속하다 (to commit to something) · bg обеща́я (to commit to something) · hu ígér (to commit to something) · km សន្យា (to commit to something) · cmn 保證 /保证 (to commit to something) · ar وَعَدَ (to commit to something) · cmn 諾言 /诺言 (to commit to something) · cs slíbit (to commit to something) · th ให้สัญญา (to commit to something) · ja 約束する (to commit to something) · fro prometre (to commit to something) · sh обећа́вати (to commit to something) · et lubama (to commit to something) · gl prometer (to commit to something) · is lofa (to commit to something) · pl obiecać (to commit to something) · id menjanjikan (to commit to something) · it giurare (to commit to something) · pt prometer (to commit to something) · sc promìtere (to commit to something) · lo ສັນຍາ (to commit to something) · nv ádee hazhdidziih (to commit to something) · ca prometre (to commit to something) · be абяца́ць (to commit to something) · da love (to commit to something) · is heita (to commit to something) · yo lérí (to commit to something) · chr ᎠᏚᎢᏍᏗᎭ (to commit to something) · la prōmittō (to commit to something) · ky убада берүү (to commit to something) · ckb بەڵێندان (to commit to something) · kk уәде беру (to commit to something) · tg қавл додан (to commit to something) · fi luvata (to commit to something) · my အာမခံ (to commit to something) · th สัญญา (to commit to something) · cs slibovat (to commit to something) · la polliceor (to commit to something) · ht pwomèt (to commit to something) · sl obljubiti (to commit to something) · sw -ahidi (to commit to something) · cmn 答應 /答应 (to commit to something) · fo geva lyfti (to commit to something) · alt сӧс берер (to commit to something) · az vəd vermək (to commit to something) · ne वाचा गर्नु (to commit to something) · sq premtoj (to commit to something) · lv solīt (to commit to something) · io promisar (to commit to something) · az vəd etmək (to commit to something) · cy addo (to commit to something) · ar تَعَهَّدَ (to commit to something) · arz وعد (to commit to something) · pam mangaku (to commit to something) · bg обеща́вам (to commit to something) · tg ваъда додан (to commit to something) · tk söz bermek (to commit to something) · lo ໃຫ້ສັນຍາ (to commit to something) · ln laka (to commit to something) · ro promite (to commit to something) · uk обіця́ти (to commit to something) · cmn 承諾 /承诺 (to commit to something) · fa وعده دادن (to commit to something) · pl obiecywać (to commit to something) · mk ветува (to commit to something) · id berjanji (to commit to something) · fo lova (to commit to something) · sh obèćati (to commit to something) · la spondeō (to commit to something) · hi प्रतिज्ञा (to commit to something) · eo promesi (to commit to something) · ka დაპირება (to commit to something) · lb verspriechen (to commit to something) · fr promettre (to commit to something) · lt žadėti (to commit to something) · be паабяца́ць (to commit to something) · is strengja heit (to commit to something) · sh obećávati (to commit to something) · de versprechen (to commit to something) · gag adamaa (to commit to something) · mt wegħed (to commit to something) · ceb saad (to commit to something) · sk sľúbiť (to commit to something) · hi वचन देना (to commit to something) · ar بَشَّرَ (To give grounds for expectation, especially of something good) · sh обѐћати (to commit to something) · gag söz vermää (to commit to something) · okm 벼기다 (to commit to something) · sv lova (to commit to something) · az söz vermək (to commit to something) · ang ġehātan (to commit to something) · khb ᦁᦱᦙᦃᦱᧄᧈ (to commit to something) · tr söz vermek (to commit to something) · my ဝန်ခံ (to commit to something) · grc ὑπισχνέομαι (to commit to something) · nl beloven (to commit to something) · uz vaʻda bermoq (to commit to something) · cmn 許諾 /许诺 (to commit to something) · nb love (to commit to something) · cu обѣщати (to commit to something) · hu megígér (to commit to something) · ast prometer (to commit to something)