promise

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /ˈprɒm.ɪs/, US /ˈprɑː.mɪs/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English promis or promisse,^[2][3] borrowed from Latin prōmissum (“a promise”),^[4][3][5] the noun use of the neuter past participle of prōmittere (“to send forth, foretell, promise”),^[4][3] from prō- (“before, forth”) and mittere (“to put, send”).^[4][3] The form promisse came through Old French promesse.^[3][4] It is related to mission, permit and compromise.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A solemn pledge or vow: about 1400 in Etymonline, Barnhart and the OED, in a version of Mandeville's Travels.^[4][3][6] The verb is from probably before 1400.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In religious use, one of God's assurances of future good, it is from 1502,^[6] and the land of promise from 1535;^[6] the promised land, the land of Canaan promised to Abraham, is from the 1530s, earlier lond of promission in the mid-13th century.^[4] The thing promised is from 1526.^[6] Grounds for expecting future excellence is from the 1530s,^[4] and the verb's “to give reason to expect” from the 1590s.^[4] The bow of promise, the rainbow, is from 1827.^[6] Middle English also had the verb promit, from Latin.^[4] In Yorkshire dialect to promise was often used ironically of punishment, “I'll give it you, I promise”.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 1400 – a pledge.^[4][3][6]
• 1502 – a divine promise.^[6]
• 1530s – promised land; future excellence.^[4]
• 1590s – to give reason to expect.^[4]
• 1827 – bow of promise.^[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A declaration that one will or will not do something; a vow.
2. Something promised.
3. Reason to expect something good; signs of future success: shows promise.

Verb

1. To commit oneself by a promise to do or give.
2. To give grounds for expecting: clouds promising rain.

Word family

• promiser
• promisee
• promisable
• promiseful
• outpromise
• overpromise
• prepromise
• repromise

Related words

• promissory
• promising
• promisor
• compromise
• mission
• permit
• emit

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)