vouch
/ˈvaʊt͡ʃ/
vouch verb: to call on (someone) to be a witness to something.
Verb
vouch (third-person singular simple present vouches, present participle vouching, simple past and past participle vouched)
- To call on (someone) to be a witness to something.
- Nor need I ſpeak my Deeds, for thoſe you ſee,
The Sun and Day are Witneſſes for me.
Let him who fights unſeen, relate his own,
And vouch the ſilent Stars, and conſcious Moon.1717, John Dryden, “Book XIII. [The Speeches of Ajax and Ulysses.]”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 436
- Nor need I ſpeak my Deeds, for thoſe you ſee,
- To cite or rely on (an authority, a written work, etc.) in support of one's actions or opinions.
- But the most catholike and renoumed doctours of Christes religion in the corroboration of their argumentes and sentences, do alledge the same histories and vouche (as I mought say) to their ayde the autoritie of the writars.1531, Thomas Elyot, “Of Experience whiche haue Preceded Our Tyme, with a Defence of Histories”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […] (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph]...
- [F]or more credit to vvhich aſſertion hee vouched ſundry books, and acts, […]1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Edward the First, […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], London: […] William Hall and John...
- Synonyms:
- obtest
- To affirm or warrant the correctness or truth of (something); also, to affirm or warrant (the truth of an assertion or statement).
- Nay tis moſt credible, we heere receiue it,
A certaintie vouch'd from our Coſin Auſtria, […]c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]... - Deliuer them this Paper: hauing read it,
Bid them repayre to th' Market place, where I
Euen in theirs, and in the Commons eares
Will vouch the truth of it.c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
- Nay tis moſt credible, we heere receiue it,
- To bear witness or testify to the nature or qualities (of someone or something).
- If a Man ſucceeds in any Attempt, though undertook with never ſo much Folly and Raſhneſs, his Succeſs ſhall vouch him a Politician; and good Luck ſhall paſs for deep Contrivance: […]1685 March 3 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at the Westminster-Abbey, February 22. 1684–5 [Julian calendar]”, in Twelve Sermons Preached...
- To back, confirm, or support (someone or something) with credible evidence or proof.
- [M]ee damp horror chil'd
At ſuch bold words voucht with a deed ſo bold: […]1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
- [M]ee damp horror chil'd
- Synonym of vouchsafe (“to condescendingly or graciously give or grant (something)”).
- Our Maſter Mars
Haſt vouch'd his Oracle, and to Arcite gave
The grace of the Contention: So the Deities
Have ſhewd due juſtice: […]1613–1614 (date written), John Fletcher, William Shak[e]speare, The Two Noble Kinsmen: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Waterson; […], published 1634, →OCLC, Act V, scene iv, page 88
- Synonyms:
- vouchsafe
- Our Maſter Mars
- To assert, aver, or declare (something).
- But wherein then according to their Opinion did this Image of God conſiſt? Why, in that Power and Dominion that God gave Adam over the Creatures: In that he was vouched his immediate Deputy upon Earth, the Viceroy of the Creation, and Lord-Lieutenant of the World.1662 November 18 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at the Cathedral-Church of St. Paul’s, November the 9th, 1662 [Julian calendar]”, in...
- [W]hat we have done
None shall dare vouch, tho' it be truly known; […]1817 December (indicated as 1818), Percy B[ysshe] Shelley, “Canto Ninth”, in Laon and Cythna; or, The Revolution of the Golden City: A Vision of the Nineteenth Century. […], London: […] [F]or...
- In full vouch to warrant or vouch to warranty: to summon (someone) into court to establish a warranty of title to land.
- [W]hen the Tenant being impleaded within a particular iuriſdiction (as in London or the like) voucheth one to warranty and prayes that he may be ſummoned in ſome other county out of the iuriſdiction of that Court: this is called a foreine Voucher, […]1628, Edw[ard] Coke, “Homage Auncestrel”, in The First Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England. […], London: […] [Adam Islip] for the Societe of Stationers, →OCLC, book 2, chapter 7, section...
- If Edwards therefore be tenant of the freehold in poſſeſſion, and John Barker be tenant in tail in remainder, here Edwards doth firſt vouch Barker, and then Barker vouches Jacob Morland the common vouchee; […]1766, William Blackstone, “Of Alienation by Matter of Record”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book II (Of the Rights of Things), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 359
- Followed by over: of a vouchee (a person summoned to court to establish a warranty of title): to summon (someone) to court in their place.
- [I]t is now uſual always to have a recovery with double voucher at the leaſt; by firſt conveying an eſtate of freehold to any indifferent perſon, againſt whom the praecipe is brought; and then he vouches the tenant in tail, who vouches over the common vouchee.1766, William Blackstone, “Of Alienation by Matter of Record”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book II (Of the Rights of Things), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 359
- To guarantee legal title (to something).
- [W]ill vouchers vouch him no more of his purchaſes & doubles then the length and breadth of a payre of Indentures?c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604...
- If one ignorantly buyeth ſtolen Cattel, and hath them fairly vouched unto him, and publickly in an open Fair payeth Tole for them, he cannot be damnified thereby: […]a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, “Of the Authors from whom Our Intelligence in the Following Work hath been Derived”, in The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,]...
- To bear witness or testify; to guarantee or sponsor.
- I can vouch that he wasn’t at the scene of the crime.
- What can you vouch againſt him, Signior Lucio? Is this the man that you did tell vs of?c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
- To provide evidence or proof.
- To express confidence in or take responsibility for (the correctness or truth of) something.
- Lives still such maid?—Fair damsels say,
For further vouches not my lay,
Save that such lived in Britain's isle,
Where Lorn's bright Edith scorn'd to smile.1815, Walter Scott, “Canto First”, in The Lord of the Isles, a Poem, Edinburgh: […] [F]or Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown; by James Ballantyne and Co.... - The tears that suffused my sister's eyes when I mentioned our friend, and her heightened colour seemed to vouch for the truth of the reports that had reached me.1826, [Mary Shelley], chapter III, in The Last Man. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 78
- Lives still such maid?—Fair damsels say,
Noun
vouch (plural vouches)
- An assertion, a declaration; also, a formal attestation or warrant of the correctness or truth of something.
- VVho will beleeue thee Iſabell?
My vnſoild name, th' auſteereneſſe of my life,
My vouch againſt you, and my place i'th State,
VVill ſo your accuſation ouer-vveigh,
That you ſhall ſtifle in your ovvne report,
And ſmell of calumnie.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
- VVho will beleeue thee Iſabell?
vouch meaning in Tamil, Urdu, Bengali and Malayalam
vouch in Tamil
- உறுதிச்சான்று கூறு, பிணை உறுதி செய்
vouch in Urdu
- ضمانت دینا
vouch in Bengali
- প্রমাণ করা, নিশ্চিত করা
vouch in Malayalam
- സാക്ഷ്യപ്പെടുത്തുക, അനുകൂലമായി വാദിക്കുക, തെളിവു കൊടുക്കുക, ദൃഢപ്പെടുത്തുക
More languagesFewer languages
- vouch in Kannada
- ನನ್ನಿಯೆನ್ನು, ಸರಿಯೆನ್ನು, ಪೊಣೆಯಾಗು, ಹೊಣೆಯಾಗು
Examples of vouch in a sentence
- If you can ſhew no ſuch place, do you not vouch Experience where you have none?1692 June 30 (Gregorian calendar), Philanthropus [pseudonym; John Locke], “On the Usefulness of Force in Matters of Religion”, in A Third...
- [T]hey have made him aſham'd firſt to Vouch the Truth of the Relation, and afterwards even to Credit it.1705 November 7 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), Francis Atterbury, “A Standing Revelation, the Best Means of Conviction. A Sermon...
- My temper I dare not vouch for.—It is I believe too little yielding—certainly too little for the convenience of the world.1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XI, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […]...
- [T]hey are still less Christian men, for the Prior of the Dominicans will vouch for me, that they are more than half heathen.1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, in Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume III...
Synonyms of vouch
Forms of vouch
| Verb | |
|---|---|
| third-person singular present | vouches |
| present participle | vouching |
| past participle | vouched |
| past | vouched |
| Noun | |
| plural | vouches |
Origin of vouch
The verb is derived from Middle English vouchen (“to call, summon; to provide; to make available, proffer; to affirm, declare formally”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman vocher, voucher, woucher, and Old French vocher, voucher, vochier (“to call, summon; to claim; to call upon, invoke; to denounce”) [and other forms], from Vulgar Latin *vocicāre, derived from Latin vocāre (“to call, summon; to call upon, invoke; to designate, name; to bring or put (into a condition or state”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ- (“to sound out; to speak”). Verb sense 8.1 (“to summon (someone) into court to establish a warranty of title to land”) in the form vouch to warrant or vouch to warranty is a calque from Anglo-Norman and Old French voucher a garant. The noun is derived from the verb.
Words formed from vouch
Words that rhyme with vouch
Questions about vouch
- What does vouch mean?
- Vouch means to call on (someone) to be a witness to something.
- What is vouch in Tamil?
- Vouch in Tamil is உறுதிச்சான்று கூறு, பிணை உறுதி செய். See Vouch meaning in Tamil.
- How do you use vouch in a sentence?
- If you can ſhew no ſuch place, do you not vouch Experience where you have none?
- What part of speech is vouch?
- Vouch can be a verb or a noun.
- How do you pronounce vouch?
- Vouch is pronounced /ˈvaʊt͡ʃ/ (UK).
- What is the past tense of vouch?
- The past tense of vouch is vouched.
Words near vouch in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: vouch (page history and authors); vouch (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); vouch (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors); vouch (Bengali Wiktionary) (page history and authors); vouch (Malayalam Wiktionary) (page history and authors); vouch (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-vouch.wav.
Cite this entry: “vouch.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/vouch. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.