Definition of promise in English

WordNet

Noun Plural: promises
promise - a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future
		speech act the use of language to perform some act
		commitment, dedication the official act of consigning a person to confinement (as in a prison or mental hospital)
		oath a commitment to tell the truth (especially in a court of law); to lie under oath is to become subject to prosecution for perjury
		word of honor, parole, word (law) a conditional release from imprisonment that entitles the person to serve the remainder of the sentence outside the prison as long as the terms of release are complied with
		betrothal, troth, engagement the act of becoming betrothed or engaged
		pinning a mutual promise of a couple not to date anyone else; on college campuses it was once signaled by the giving of a fraternity pin
promise - grounds for feeling hopeful about the future; "there is little or no promise that he will recover"
		hope
		outlook, expectation, prospect belief about (or mental picture of) the future
Verb promises, promising, promised
promise - make a promise or commitment
		assure
		declare state firmly; "He declared that he was innocent"
		plight, pledge promise solemnly and formally; "I pledge that I will honor my wife"
		swear off promise to abstain from; "I have sworn off cigarettes altogether"
		undertake, contract promise to do or accomplish; "guarantee to free the prisoners"
		guarantee, undertake give surety or assume responsibility; "I vouch for the quality of my products"
promise - promise to undertake or give; "I promise you my best effort"
		declare state firmly; "He declared that he was innocent"
promise - give grounds for expectations; "The new results were promising"; "The results promised fame and glory"
		be spend or use time; "I may be an hour"
promise - make a prediction about; tell in advance; "Call the outcome of an election"
		predict, foretell, prognosticate, call, forebode, anticipate
		hazard, venture, guess, pretend proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers; "We ventured into the world of high-tech and bought a supercomputer"
		read to hear and understand; "I read you loud and clear!"
		outguess, second-guess evaluate or criticize with hindsight
		augur predict from an omen
		wager, bet maintain with or as if with a bet; "I bet she will be there!"
		forecast, calculate predict in advance
		prophesy, vaticinate predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

Wiktionary

promise (Noun)
An oath or affirmation; a vow.
promise (Noun)
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 his use.
promise (Verb)
To commit to something or action; to make an oath; make a vow.
promise (Verb)
To give grounds for expectation, especially of something good.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

promise (a.)
In general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act.
promise (a.)
An engagement by one person to another, either in words or in writing, but properly not under seal, for the performance or nonperformance of some particular thing. The word promise is used to denote the mere engagement of a person, without regard to the consideration for it, or the corresponding duty of the party to whom it is made.
promise (a.)
That which causes hope, expectation, or assurance; especially, that which affords expectation of future distinction; as, a youth of great promise.
promise (a.)
Bestowal, fulfillment, or grant of what is promised.
promise (v. t.)
To engage to do, give, make, or to refrain from doing, giving, or making, or the like; to covenant; to engage; as, to promise a visit; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money.
promise (v. t.)
To afford reason to expect; to cause hope or assurance of; as, the clouds promise rain.
promise (v. t.)
To make declaration of or give assurance of, as some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow; as, the proprietors promised large tracts of land; the city promised a reward.
promise (v. i.)
To give assurance by a promise, or binding declaration.
promise (v. i.)
To afford hopes or expectation; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

promise
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 his use.
promise
To make a promise.
promise
To state, or make something known in advance, especially using inference or special knowledge.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

promise
prom′is, n. an engagement made by a person either verbally or in writing to do or keep from doing something: expectation or that which causes expectation: a ground for hope of future excellence: (rare) fulfilment of what is promised.—v.t. to make an engagement to do or not to do something: to afford reason to expect: to assure: to engage to bestow.—v.i. to assure one by a promise: to afford hopes or expectations: (rare) to stand sponsor.—ns. Prom′ise-breach (Shak.), violation of promise; Prom′ise-break′er (Shak.), a violator of promises.—adj. Prom′ise-crammed (Shak.), crammed or filled with promises.—ns. Promisēē′, the person to whom a promise is made; Prom′iser, Prom′isor.—adj. Prom′ising, affording ground for hope or expectation: likely to turn out well.—advs. Prom′isingly; Prom′issorily.—adj. Prom′issory, containing a promise of some engagement to be fulfilled.—n. Prom′issory-note, a note by one person promising to pay a sum of money to another, or to bearer, at a certain date, or at sight, or on demand.—Promised land, the land promised by God to Abraham and his seed: Canaan: heaven.—Be promised (rare), to have an engagement; Breach of promise (see Breach); Conditional promise, a promise of which the obligation depends on certain conditions—opp. to Absolute promise; Express promise, a promise expressed orally or in writing; The Promise, the assurance of God to Abraham that his descendants should become the chosen people. [Fr. promesse—L. promissa, promittĕre, to send forward—pro, forward, mittĕre, to send.]

Proverbs DictionaryProverbs Dictionary 📗

promise
He is poor indeed that cannot promise nothing.
promise
Be slow to promise, but quick to perform.
promise
Apt to promise, apt to forget.

Wikipedia

When a person agrees to do something or to "not" do something, that person is making a promise. A promise can be made verbally (by saying it), or it can be written down as a contract. "Breaking" a promise, or not keeping it, is often just bad manners, but it can sometimes be illegal, such as when a contract is not kept.

A vow is a special promise. It is mostly used in a religious sense or in ceremonies such as marriages when the couple who are being married make their "marriage vows", promising to be faithful to one another.

An oath is a promise in the legal sense. When someone has to give evidence in a court of law they "swear an oath". This means that they promise they will tell the truth.