Attest is a word that is commonly used in legal, business, and financial contexts. It is a verb that means to provide evidence or testimony to the truth or authenticity of something. In this article, we will explore the definition, origin, meaning, associations, synonyms, antonyms, and examples of attest.
Definitions
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, attest means “to provide evidence or testimony to the truth or authenticity of something.” It can also mean “to certify or affirm something as true or genuine.”
Merriam-Webster defines attest as “to affirm to be true or genuine” and “to provide proof or evidence of.”
Origin
The word attest comes from the Latin word attestari, which means “to bear witness.” It was first used in English in the 15th century.
Meaning in different dictionaries
Different dictionaries have slightly different definitions of attest. Here are some examples:
- Oxford English Dictionary: To provide evidence or testimony to the truth or authenticity of something.
- Merriam-Webster: To affirm to be true or genuine; to provide proof or evidence of.
- Cambridge Dictionary: To show something or to say or prove that something is true.
- Collins Dictionary: To show that something is true or exists.
- Dictionary.com: To bear witness to; certify; declare to be correct, true, or genuine.
Associations
Attest is often associated with legal, business, and financial contexts. For example, a witness might attest to the truth of a statement in a court of law. A notary public might attest to the authenticity of a signature on a document. An auditor might attest to the accuracy of a company’s financial statements.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of attest include:
- Confirm.
- Verify.
- Authenticate.
- Certify.
- Corroborate.
- Substantiate.
- Validate.
- Swear.
Antonyms
Some antonyms of attest include:
- Deny.
- Disprove.
- Refute.
- Disavow.
- Contradict.
- Disclaim.
- Invalidate.
The same root words
Some words that share the same root as attest include:
- Testify.
- Testament.
- Testimonial.
Example Sentences
Here are some example sentences that use the word attest:
- The witness will attest to the defendant’s whereabouts on the night of the crime.
- The notary public will attest to the authenticity of your signature on the document.
- The auditor will attest to the accuracy of the company’s financial statements.
- The DNA evidence attests to the suspect’s guilt.
- The success of the company’s new product line attests to the effectiveness of their marketing strategy.