different between asseverate vs testify

English

Etymology

From Latin assev?r?re, from assev?r? (“I assert”).

Verb

asseverate (third-person singular simple present asseverates, present participle asseverating, simple past and past participle asseverated)

1. (transitive) To declare earnestly, seriously, or positively; to affirm.
   • 1642, Sir Richard Gurney, 1st Baronet, The Lord Maior of Londons Letter to the King at Yorke, June 22, London,^[1]

     Whereas Your Maiesty hath received true information of great sums of Money endeavoured to be borrowed of Your City of London, by directions proceeding from both Houses of Parliament […] (I Your Maiesties faithfull Subiect) doe conceive, and dare asseverate, that it is intended upon no other pretence then for the Honour and defence of Your Maiesty,

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Dublin: John Smith, Volume 2, Book 10, Chapter 7, p. 261,^[2]

     I will myself asseverate and bind it by an Oath, that the Muff thou bearest in thy Hand belonged unto Madam Sophia;

   • 1818, Walter Scott, Rob Roy, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable, Volume 1, Chapter 9, p. 195-196,^[3]

     “And I presume you can also asseverate to his worship, that no man is better qualified than I am to bear testimony in this case, seeing that I was by you, and near you, constantly during the whole occurrence?”

   • 1931, H. P. Lovecraft, The Whisperer in Darkness, chapter 1:

     The more I laughed at such theories, the more these stubborn friends asseverated them; adding that even without the heritage of legend the recent reports were too clear, consistent, detailed, and sanely prosaic in manner of telling, to be completely ignored.

   • 1971, Iris Murdoch, The Accidental Man, New York: Viking, p. 31,^[4]

     A time would come, Mr. Secombe-Hughes mysteriously asseverated, when all would be well and she would get her money.

Derived terms

• asseverative

Related terms

• asseveration

Translations

Italian

Verb

asseverate

1. second-person plural present indicative of asseverare
2. second-person plural imperative of asseverare

Participle

asseverate

1. feminine plural of the past participle of asseverare

Latin

Pronunciation

• assev?r?t?: (Classical) IPA^(key): /as.se.u?e??ra?.te?/, [äs???u?e???ä?t?e?]
• assev?r?t?: (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /as.se.ve?ra.te/, [?s??v?????t??]
• assev?r?te: (Classical) IPA^(key): /as.se.u?e??ra?.te/, [äs???u?e???ä?t??]
• assev?r?te: (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /as.se.ve?ra.te/, [?s??v?????t??]

Adverb

assev?r?t? (not comparable)

1. earnestly, emphatically

Alternative forms

• adsev?r?t?

Verb

assev?r?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of assev?r?

References

• asseverate in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)

English

Etymology

From Middle English testifien, borrowed from Old French testifier, from Latin testific?r?, present active infinitive of testificor (“I bear witness”), from testis (“a witness”) + facere (“to make”). See -fy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?t?st?fa?/
• Hyphenation: tes?ti?fy
• Rhymes: -a?

Verb

testify (third-person singular simple present testifies, present participle testifying, simple past and past participle testified) (transitive, intransitive)

1. To make a declaration, or give evidence, under oath.
   • 2014, Ruzwana Bashir, "The untold story of how a culture of shame perpetuates abuse. I know, I was a victim", The Guardian, 29 August 2014:

     It was only after a decade away from Skipton that I was finally able to garner the courage to return and testify against my abuser.

   • One witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

2. To make a statement based on personal knowledge or faith.

   • We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Synonyms

• bear witness

Related terms

• attest
• testimony
• testimonial

Translations

See also

• compel testimony

Further reading

• testify in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• testify in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.