witnessingn.
/ˈwɪtnɪsɪŋ/ 1. † b. In biblical use: = witness n. 2d.
a. The action of bearing witness or giving testimony. †in witnessing of, as a witness to; †to bear witnessing, to bear witness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > bear witness, testify [verb (intransitive)]
to bear (one) witnesslOE
witne?c1225
to bear witnessinga1300
to bear recordc1330
testimonyc1330
testify1377
witnessc1380
recordc1400
militatec1600
suffragate1620
testate1624
depone1640
attest1672
rap1728
certify1874
certificate1907
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > [adverb] > as testimony
in witnessc950
witnessinga1300
testea1845
a1300 Cursor Mundi 27832 O couaitise..cums..fals wittnesing,..and lesing.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Cor. i. 12 The witnessinge of oure conscience.
c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Prol. 299 To this flour..Hire white corowne beryth the witnessynge.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 18894 O þis gadring be-houes us þan, In witnesing to ches a man Vn-to þe seruis of vr tale.
1426 J. Lydgate in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 132 Gladly he chevith what so he begynne,..The fyne therof berith witnessing.
1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) iii. viii. 150 I haue put on eche keye a bille & writynge In witnessinge of the thynges abouesayd.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Rev. i. 9 Iohn..was in the yle of Pathmos for the worde of god, and for the witnessynge of Iesu Christe.
1563 in J. H. Burton Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1877) 1st Ser. I. 254 Diverse personis wer summond..to beir witnessing in the said mater.
1679 R. South Serm. Several Occasions 29 The witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with this Event, that Martyrdom now signifies..to witness by death.
1857 C. Dickens Little Dorrit ii. xxviii. 562 I have it on the witnessing of these two madmen..that you want me.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > Bible, Scripture > Testament > Old Testament > [noun] > Mosaic dispensation > decalogue > inscribed on stone
witnessinga1340
witness1530
a1340 R. Rolle Psalter cxviii[i]. 2 Blisful þai þat ransakis his witnessyngis.
1382 J. Wyclif Psalms xcviii[i]. 7 Thei kepten his witnessingus, and the heste that he ȝaf to hem.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > [noun]
i-witnessc888
witshipc900
warranting1303
recordc1330
witnessingc1330
bearingc1400
testificationc1450
certificate1472
certification1532
induction1551
suffrage1563
vouching1574
testifying1585
attestation1598
testation1642
attesting1661
adduction1687
attestment1850
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > [noun] > evidence given, testimony
witnessc950
proof?c1225
witnessingc1330
evidencea1387
probacyc1460
probation?a1475
testimonial?a1475
testimony?a1475
testimonage1483
testamentc1485
conjecture1526
fact?1531
trial1532
teste1567
suffragy1571
attest1609
probate1610
testa1616
testate1619
discovery1622
constat1623
c1330 Arth. & Merl. 1269 Telle ous now, what is þi name,..Þat we se sum witnesseing Of þi dede.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 16277 Vp þai ras and gaf a cri..Quat mister es o wijtnessing again him for to lede?
1476 Acta Audit. (1839) 52/1 Þe sadis partijs beand personaly present and þare allegations and witnessingis..herd.
1478 in Acts Lords of Council Civil Causes (1839) I. 20/2 Johne..sall bring sic..document and witnessing or testimoniale of his sesing þat he has.
1573 J. Daus tr. H. Bullinger Hundred Serm. vpon Apocalipse (rev. ed.) lxxxiv. f. 260v The Apostles in the gospell are called witnesses: and the Gospell, a testimony or witnessyng.
1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. Pref. sig. **viiiv Vnto men we wil bring the witnessings of men, euen the things that euerie man readeth in his owne nature.
1616 W. Haig in J. Russell Haigs of Bemersyde vii. 158 His habitude of lying, his noted perjury, [etc.]: qualities for which any man's witnessing were to be repelled in judgment.
3. Attestation (of a document). Chiefly in †in or into (the) witnessing of = French en témoignage de.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal document > [noun] > attestation of document
witnessing1405
attest1651
attesting1661
attestation1674
1405 Rolls of Parl. III. 605/2 In Witnessing of whilk thyng, to thys presentes we have sette our forsaide Seal.
1422 in F. J. Furnivall Fifty Earliest Eng. Wills (1882) 51 Into wytnessyng of which thyng, to this my present testament I haue put to my seell.
1561 in Exch. Rolls Scot. XIX. 481 Robert Hammiltoun..for the mare witnessing hes subscrivit this his obligatioun with his hand.
4. The fact of being present and observing something.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [noun] > witnessing
witness?c1225
autopsy1607
witnessing1855
1855 in Cambr. Ess. 154 The witnessing of the scenes.
1872 Princess Alice Mem. (1884) 288 The witnessing of your grief rent my heart so deeply.
Derivatives
ˈwitnessing adj. spec.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [adjective] > witnessing
witnessing1859
on the spot1886
the world > space > place > presence > [adjective] > present as an observer
witnessing1859
1859 J. Ruskin Two Paths i. §4 Corruption festered to its loathsomest in the midst of the witnessing presence of a disciplined civilisation.
witnessing part n. see quot. 1844).
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal document > [noun] > paragraph or clause > testing clause
teste1611
test1709
testing clause1765
testatum1844
witnessing part1844
testimonium1852
1844 J. Williams Real Property Law 143 The testatum, or witnessing part, ‘Now this Indenture witnesseth’. [See witness v. 1a(b).]
1855 C. Davidson Prec. Convey. (ed. 2) I. 64 When the instrument contains more than one witnessing part.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1928; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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