attest

English

Etymology

From Latin attestor (“to witness to, bear witness”), from at-, combining form of ad (“to”) + testor (“to bear witness”), from testis (“a witness”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈtɛst/, SAMPA: /@"tEst/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst

Verb

attest (third-person singular simple present attests, present participle attesting, simple past and past participle attested)

1. To affirm to be correct, true, or genuine.

   When will the appraiser attest the date of the painting?

   • 1599 — Shakespeare, Henry V iii 1 (Act ii in First Folio edition)

     Dishonour not your Mothers: now attest that those whom you call'd Fathers, did beget you.

2. To certify by signature or oath

   You must attest your will in order for it to be valid.

3. To certify in an official capacity.
4. To supply or be evidence of

   Will her fine work attest her ability.

   • 1992, Rudolf M. Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, page viii

     The supplementary bibliography (in Vol. VI) attests to the comprehensiveness of the effort.

   • 1599 — Shakespeare, Henry V Prologue (First Folio edition)

     O pardon : since a crooked Figure may / Attest in little place a Million, / And let us, Cyphers to this great Accompt, / On your imaginarie Forces worke.

5. To put under oath.

Derived terms

• attestation
• attested
• attestment

Translations

to affirm to be correct, true, or genuine

Bulgarian: потвърждавам (bg), заверявам (bg), удостоверявам (bg) Czech: potvrdit (cs) Dutch: attesteren (nl) Esperanto: atesti (eo)

Romanian: atesta (ro), confirma (ro), adeveri (ro) Russian: подтверждать (ru) Spanish: avalar (es), atestiguar (es) Swedish: attestera (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

French: attester Ido: atestar

See also

• cite
• quote

External links

• attest in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• attest in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• attest at OneLook Dictionary Search

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Dutch

Wikipedia ^nl

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

attest n. (plural attesten)

1. certificate, attestation

Anagrams

• tastte

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Swedish

Noun

attest c.

1. certification, authorization; certificate

Declension

Declension of attest

	singular		plural
Common	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	attest	attesten	attester	attesterna
genitive	attests	attestens	attesters	attesternas

Related terms

• attestera