> as lemmas

1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. ii. f. 65 Your Philosophie perchaunce hath so mortified you, that you can promise [Fr. que vous pouuez prommetre] your selfe the constancie of that Philosopher whom a woman tooke for an image.

1617 F. Moryson Itinerary i. 42 Nothing were more pleasant..then Sea-voyages, if a man might promise himselfe a good wind, and a reasonable gale.

1639 N. N. tr. J. Du Bosc Compl. Woman i. 21 There are some who promise to themselves, never to discover their secrets.

1685 J. Dryden Albion & Albanius Pref. sig. (b)2^v If it finds encouragement, I dare promise my self to mend my hand, by making a more pleasing Fable.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 58. ¶1 I dare promise my self.

1746 in Colonial Rec. Pennsylvania (1851) V. 45 I promise myself that you will proceed to some less exceptionable Method.

1760 C. Johnstone Chrysal I. ii. v. 167 I was going to visit a family this morning, where I promised myself the highest joy that a human heart is capable of feeling, in lightening the distress of the virtuous.

1832 H. Martineau For Each & All iv. 53 She ran out, promising herself that she would be back in ten minutes.

1872 ‘M. Twain’ Innocents Abroad (rev. ed.) xii. 45/2 We..promised ourselves that we should call around some time.., and finish the game.

1927 H. T. Lowe-Porter tr. T. Mann Magic Mountain (London ed.) II. vii. 789 This, my dear friend, is the technique, and I promise myself unheard-of results.

1999 SL (Cape Town) June 114/2 I am briefly overcome in duty-free but promise myself I'll be back. After all, I have a whole lifetime to browse through the fragrance section.