witness
noun /ˈwɪtnəs/
/ˈwɪtnəs/
Idioms - (also eyewitness)[countable] a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it to other people
- He failed to interview a key witness.
- witness to something Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident.
- We have a witness to the killing.
- According to witnesses, the man jumped out of his vehicle and attacked the other driver.
- She gave a witness statement to the police.
- Mark had to go into the witness protection programme to escape the violence.
Extra ExamplesTopics Crime and punishmentb2- A judicial investigation was ordered, but witnesses were threatened and none would testify.
- According to witnesses, the thief escaped through the bedroom window.
- Police have so far failed to trace any witnesses to the attack.
- She was the only witness to identify Peters as the attacker.
- The police are appealing for witnesses.
- Two witnesses came forward with evidence.
- Witnesses reported that the suspect was a white male.
- He was charged with conspiracy to suborn witnesses.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- crucial
- key
- material
- …
- appeal for
- trace
- come forward
- report
- account
- statement
- according to witness
- witness to
- [countable] a person who gives evidence in court
- a defence/prosecution witness
- He was hired to be an expert witness in the trial.
- to appear as (a) witness for the defence/prosecution
- The defence called their first witness.
- Several witnesses testified that there had been two gunmen.
Synonyms witnesswitnesssee also hostile witness- observer
- onlooker
- passer-by
- bystander
- eyewitness
- witness a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it to other people; a person who gives evidence in a court of law:
- Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident.
- observer a person who sees something happen:
- According to observers, the plane exploded shortly after take-off.
- onlooker a person who watches something that is happening but is not involved in it:
- A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash.
- passer-by a person who is going past somebody/something by chance, especially when something unexpected happens:
- Police asked passers-by if they had witnessed the accident.
- bystander a person who is near and can see what is happening when something such as an accident or fight takes place:
- Three innocent bystanders were killed in the crossfire.
- eyewitness a person who has seen a crime or accident and can describe it afterwards.
- a witness/an observer/an onlooker/a passer-by/a bystander/an eyewitness sees something
- an observer/an onlooker/a passer-by/a bystander witnesses something
Extra ExamplesTopics Law and justiceb2- He was placed on a witness protection scheme.
- He was subpoenaed as a witness in a bankruptcy case.
- She appeared as a character witness.
- She went into a witness protection program.
- The jury convicted him on two counts of witness tampering.
- The next witness took the stand.
- the defence's chief witness
- She appeared as a witness for the prosecution.
- As the last person to see her alive, he was a material witness in the case.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- chief
- main
- principal
- …
- call
- subpoena
- summon
- …
- be sworn in
- take the stand
- give evidence
- …
- box
- stand
- summons
- …
- a witness for the defence/defense
- a witness for the prosecution
- [countable] a person who is present when an official document is signed and who also signs it to prove that they saw this happen
- He was one of the witnesses at our wedding.
- The will was signed in the presence of two witnesses.
- witness to something There was no witness to her signature.
Extra ExamplesTopics Law and justiceb2- When you sign the contract you'll need a witness.
- the marriage contract is signed in front of witnesses
- Would you be willing to act as a witness to my signature when I sign my will?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- crucial
- key
- material
- …
- appeal for
- trace
- come forward
- report
- account
- statement
- according to witness
- witness to
- [uncountable] evidence of a person’s strong religious beliefs, that they show by what they say and do in public see also Jehovah’s Witness
person who sees something
in court
of signature
of religious beliefs
Word OriginOld English witnes (see wit, -ness).
Idioms
bear/give witness (to something)
- to provide evidence of the truth of something
- The crowd of mourners at his funeral bore witness to the great affection in which he was held.
- The ancient temples bear silent witness to the passing dynasties.
Wordfinder
- accident
- ambulance
- casualty
- first aid
- hospital
- injure
- paramedic
- stretcher
- victim
- witness
Collocations CrimeCrimeCommitting a crime
- commit a crime/a murder/a violent assault/a brutal killing/an armed robbery/fraud
- be involved in terrorism/a suspected arson attack/people smuggling/human trafficking
- engage/participate in criminal activity/illegal practices/acts of mindless vandalism
- steal somebody’s wallet/purse/(British English) mobile phone/(North American English) cell phone
- rob a bank/a person/a tourist
- break into/ (British English) burgle/ (North American English) burglarize a house/a home/an apartment
- hijack a plane/ship/bus
- smuggle drugs/weapons/arms/immigrants
- launder drug money (through something)
- forge documents/certificates/passports
- take/accept/pay somebody/offer (somebody) a bribe
- run a phishing/an email/an internet scam
- combat/fight crime/terrorism/corruption/drug trafficking
- prevent/stop credit-card fraud/child abuse/software piracy
- deter/stop criminals/burglars/thieves/shoplifters/vandals
- reduce/tackle/crack down on knife/gun/violent/street crime; (especially British English) antisocial behaviour
- foil a bank raid/a terrorist plot
- help/support/protect the victims of crime
- report a crime/a theft/a rape/an attack/(especially British English) an incident to the police
- witness the crime/attack/murder/incident
- investigate a murder/(especially North American English) a homicide/a burglary/a robbery/the alleged incident
- conduct/launch/pursue an investigation (into…); (especially British English) a police/murder inquiry
- investigate/reopen a criminal/murder case
- examine/investigate/find fingerprints at the crime scene/the scene of crime
- collect/gather forensic evidence
- uncover new evidence/a fraud/a scam/a plot/a conspiracy/political corruption/a cache of weapons
- describe/identify a suspect/the culprit/the perpetrator/the assailant/the attacker
- question/interrogate a suspect/witness
- solve/crack the case
Collocations Criminal justiceCriminal justiceBreaking the law
- break/violate/obey/uphold the law
- be investigated/arrested/tried for a crime/a robbery/fraud
- be arrested/ (especially North American English) indicted/convicted on charges of rape/fraud/(especially US English) felony charges
- be arrested on suspicion of arson/robbery/shoplifting
- be accused of/be charged with murder/(especially North American English) homicide/four counts of fraud
- face two charges of indecent assault
- admit your guilt/liability/responsibility (for something)
- deny the allegations/claims/charges
- confess to a crime
- grant/be refused/be released on/skip/jump bail
- stand/await/bring somebody to/come to/be on trial
- take somebody to/come to/settle something out of court
- face/avoid/escape prosecution
- seek/retain/have the right to/be denied access to legal counsel
- hold/conduct/attend/adjourn a hearing/trial
- sit on/influence/persuade/convince the jury
- sit/stand/appear/be put/place somebody in the dock
- plead guilty/not guilty to a crime
- be called to/enter (British English) the witness box
- take/put somebody on the stand/(North American English) the witness stand
- call/subpoena/question/cross-examine a witness
- give/hear the evidence against/on behalf of somebody
- raise/withdraw/overrule an objection
- reach a unanimous/majority verdict
- return/deliver/record a verdict of not guilty/unlawful killing/accidental death
- convict/acquit the defendant of the crime
- secure a conviction/your acquittal
- lodge/file an appeal
- appeal (against)/challenge/uphold/overturn a conviction/verdict
- pass sentence on somebody
- carry/face/serve a seven-year/life sentence
- receive/be given the death penalty
- be sentenced to ten years (in prison/jail)
- carry/impose/pay a fine (of $3 000)/a penalty (of 14 years imprisonment)
- be imprisoned/jailed for drug possession/fraud/murder
- do/serve time/ten years
- be sent to/put somebody in/be released from jail/prison
- be/put somebody/spend X years on death row
- be granted/be denied/break (your) parole
be (a) witness to something
- (formal) to see something take place
- He has been witness to a terrible murder.
- a witness to murder
- to show that something is true; to provide evidence for something
- His good health is a witness to the success of the treatment.