promise

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

I

n. pledge, word. —v. give one's word; bid fair, show promise. See promise, expectation, hope.

II

Pledge to do something

Nouns

1. promise, undertaking, word, troth, pledge, parole, word of honor, vow, avowal; oath (see affirmation); assurance, warranty, guarantee; insurance, obligation, mortgage; covenant, contract, compact, commitment; engagement, affiance (see marriage). See security, evidence, duty.

2. fiancé[e]; man of his word; promised land.

Verbs

1. promise; give or make a promise, undertake, engage; make or enter into an engagement; bind, pledge, or commit oneself; take upon oneself; vow; give, pledge, or plight one's word, swear; plight one's troth; betroth, plight faith, take an oath; assure, warrant, guarantee; covenant, attest (see evidence); contract an obligation; become bound to, become sponsor for; answer for, be answerable for; secure; give security; underwrite; promise the moon. Informal, cross one's heart, swear to God.

2. extract a promise, adjure, administer an oath, put to one's oath, swear a witness, swear in.

Adjectives — promising, promissory; votive; under hand and seal, upon or under oath; contractual; promised, affianced, pledged, bound; committed, compromised; in for it.

Interjections — so help me! cross my heart [and hope to die]!

Quotations — Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build bridges even when there are no rivers (Nikita Khrushchev), Men are all alike in their promises. It is only in their deeds that they differ (Molière), The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep (Robert Frost), We grew up founding our dreams on the infinite promise of American advertising (Zelda Fitzgerald).

Antonyms, see refusal.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [A pledge]

Syn. assurance, agreement, pact, oath, engagement, covenant, consent, avowal, warrant, asseveration, affirmation, swearing, plight, word, troth, vow, profession, guarantee, insurance, obligation, stipulation, commitment, betrothal, affiance, espousal, plighted faith, marriage contract, giving one's word, gentleman's agreement, attestation, word of honor, parole, warranty, foretaste.

2. [Hope]

Syn. outlook, sign, good omen, good appearance; see encouragement 2 , hope 2 .

v.

1. [To give one's word]

Syn. plight, engage, declare, agree, vow, swear, espouse, consent, asseverate, affirm, profess, undertake, pledge, covenant, contract, bargain, affiance, betroth, assure, guarantee, warrant, give assurance, give warranty, insure, cross one's heart, keep a promise, live up to, plight one's faith, plight one's troth, bind oneself, commit oneself, obligate oneself, make oneself answerable, secure, give security, underwrite, subscribe, lead one to expect, answer for, pledge one's honor, cross one's heart and hope to die*.

Ant. deceive*, deny, break faith.

2. [To appear promising]

Syn. ensure, insure, assure; see encourage 2 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. word of honor word, vow, pledge, oath, commitment, assurance, warranty, guarantee, contract, swearing.

2. potential hope, prospect, expectation.

II

v.

1. give one's word pledge, vow, swear, commit, assure, *cross one's heart and hope to die, take anoath, warrant, guarantee.

2. give hope of suggest, indicate, portend, bode, bespeak, show signs of.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun A declaration that one will or will not do a certain thing: assurance, covenant, engagement, guarantee, guaranty, pledge, plight2, solemn word, vow, warrant, word, word of honor. See OBLIGATION. II verb 1. To assume an obligation: contract, engage, pledge, undertake. See AGREE, OBLIGATION. 2. To guarantee by a solemn promise: covenant, pledge, plight2, swear, vow. Idiom: give one's word of honor. See AGREE, OBLIGATION.