▪ I. testify, v.
(ˈtɛstɪfaɪ)
Also 5–6 testy-, 5–7 teste-; 4 -fiȝe, 4–6 -fye, 4–8 -fie, 6 (Sc.) -fei.
[ad. late or med.L. testificāre, cl. L. testificārī to bear witness, proclaim, f. testi-s witness + fic-us making: see -fy. So obs. F. testifier (16th c.).]
1. trans. To bear witness to, or give proof of (a fact); to assert or affirm the truth of (a statement); to attest.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xiii. 172 Meny prouerbis ich myghte haue of meny holy seyntes, To testifie [v.rr. testefie, testefiȝe] for treuthe þe tale þat ich shewe. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 452 That can Dame Nature well testyfy. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 10 §2, ij witnesses or moo that woll witnesse and testefie the seid payment. 1526 Tindale John iii. 11 We speake that we knowe, and testify that we have sene. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 55 b, A signe wherby he maye testifie, that he careth for vs. 16.. Rolls of Parlt. II. 438/1 It is testified by the said Earle..that the said Arnold was taken. 1820 Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 325 The superlative wisdom of Socrates is testified by all antiquity. |
b. intr. (usually with of) and absol.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 93 Þanne shal he testifye of a trinitee and take his felawe to witnesse. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 2448 That they shulde testyfy with hym in this case. 1526 Tindale John ii. 25 Jesus..neded nott that eny man shulde testify off man. For he knewe what was in man. 1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Familye of Loue To Rdr. *iv b, Those which take in hand to testifie of any matter whatsoever. 1746–7 Hervey Medit. (1818) 192 Drop down, ye Showers, and testify as you fall, testify of His grace. 1884 J. Quincy Figures of Past 228 [He] testified to me of the affection with which he was regarded by his slaves. |
2. transf. of things: a. trans. To serve as evidence of; to constitute proof or testimony of. b. intr. and absol.
| 1445 in Anglia XXVIII. 271 Also thi writyng testifieth thi yiftes be not streyned. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. ii. 158 The brickes are aliue at this day to testifie it. 1644 Evelyn Diary 12 Nov., Dioclesian's Bathes, whose ruines testifie the vastness of the original foundation. 1794 Sullivan View Nat. II. 132 Do not these shells testify a present, or a former communication between these contending elements of fire and water? 1849 W. Hanna Mem. Chalmers I. ii. 42 The manuscript volumes..still remain to testify his diligence. 1879 Huxley Hume vi. 116 The proposition..must mean..that the fact is testified by my present consciousness. |
| 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. iii. 131 Why heere is the note of the fashion to testify... Reade it. 1879 M. Pattison Milton iii. 37 His three Latin epigrams addressed to this lady..testify to the enthusiasm she excited in the musical soul of Milton. |
3. trans. To profess and openly acknowledge (a fact, belief, object of faith or devotion, etc.); to proclaim as something that one knows or believes. Chiefly biblical. b. intr. To bear testimony.
| 1526 Tindale Acts xx. 24 The ministracion which I have receaved of the lorde Jesu to testify the gospell of the grace of god. 1535 Coverdale 2 Esdras ii. 36, I testifie my sauioure openly. a 1631 Donne Serm. vii. (1640) 72 To testifie our fall in Adam, the Church appoints us to fall upon our knees. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. ii. 112 He..stood upon his feet,..and exclaimed, I testify that there is no deity but God. 1867 Visct. Strangford Select. (1869) II. 73 They testify their faith therein openly and aloud. |
| 1784 Cowper Task v. 856 In vain thy creatures testify of thee, Till thou proclaim thyself. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xii, Them that witnessed, and testified, and fought, and endured pit, prison-house, and transportation. 1853 Kingsley Hypatia xxx, They had no mind to be martyrs, for they had nothing for which to testify. |
4. intr. and trans. To declare solemnly; = protest v. 1. Obs. exc. in biblical use.
| 1526 Tindale John xiii. 21 Jesus..was troubled in his sprete and testified sayinge: verely verely I saye vnto you, that won off you shall betraye me. ― Gal. v. 3, I testifie agayne to every man..that he is bounde to kepe the whole lawe. ― 2 Tim. iv. 1, I testifie therfore before god, and before the lorde Jesu Christ..preache the worde, be fervent, be it in season or out of season. 1535 Coverdale 1 Sam. viii. 9 Testifye vnto them, and shewe them the lawe of the kynge that shall raigne ouer them. ― Ps. xlix. 7 Let me testifie amonge you, o Israel: I am God euen thy God. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Acts xx. 21 Testifying [Gr. διαµαρτυρόµενος; Vulg. testificans; earlier vv. witnessing] to Iewes and Gentils penance toward God and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 721 At length a Reverend Sire among them came,..And testifi'd against thir wayes. |
5. trans. To give evidence of, display, manifest, express (desire, emotion, etc.). Obs. or arch.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 120 b, An oration..testifying the inward sorow, which he had conceaued. 1678 Trans. Crt. Spain 32 The people of Madrid testified a great desire of seeing our young Prince. 1701 W. Wotton Hist. Rome vi. 107 Nothing was too much to testify the Peoples Joy. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones xviii. iv, He was the only person..who testified any real concern. 1855 Prescott Philip II, I. ii. viii. 228 She begs her brother..to testify his own satisfaction by the most gracious letters..that he can write. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. x. viii. (1872) III. 292 The grimly sympathetic Generals testified assent. |
Hence ˈtestifying vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1575–85 Abp. Sandys Serm. (Parker Soc.) 87 A testifying of our godliness towards him. 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden Wks. (Grosart) III. 19 For a testifying incouragement how much I wish thy encrease in those languages. 1651 Baxter Inf. Bapt. 222 A seal is an engaging or obliging sign, or at least a testifying. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xix, A man, exercised in the testimonies of that testifying period. 1901 C. G. M{supc}Crie Ch. Scotl. II. i. 151 It reveals no advance upon the testifyings of New Light Burghers. |
▪ II. † ˈtestify, n. Obs. rare—1.
In 6 Sc. pl. testefeis.
[f. prec.]
A certificate or testimony.
| 1600 Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1816) IV. 246/2 That..they may..produce sic testefeis of thair antiquiteis as may informe the saidis commissionaris. |