different between testify vs eyewitness

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.

English

Alternative forms

• eye-witness
• eye witness

Etymology

eye +? witness

Noun

eyewitness (plural eyewitnesses)

1. Someone who sees an event and can report or testify about it. [from 16th c.]

Translations

Verb

eyewitness (third-person singular simple present eyewitnesses, present participle eyewitnessing, simple past and past participle eyewitnessed)

1. To be present at an event, and see it