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promise

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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
  • 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)