Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: testificari, from testis 'witness'

testify

 verb
     
Related topics: Christianity, Law
tes‧ti‧fy past tense and past participle testified, present participle testifying, third person singular testifies
1 [intransitive and transitive]SCL to make a formal statement of what is true, especially in a court of law:
Mr Molto has agreed to testify at the trial.
testify against
Later, the witness who had testified against Muawad withdrew his allegation.
2 [intransitive and transitive] written to show clearly that something is the case
testify to
The empty shops in the high street testify to the depth of the recession.
testify that
The full ashtrays testify that smoking hasn't been stubbed out.
Can you testify that you saw the defendant at the scene of the crime?
3 [intransitive] American EnglishRRC to stand up and tell people about how God has helped you in your life
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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