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# witness

noun (a witness, witnesses); verb (witness, witnesses, witnessed, witnessing)

«witness» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Meaning — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A witness is a person who sees something happen, especially an accident or a crime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#m1)
2. A witness is a person who tells a court what they know or saw. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#m2)
3. A witness is a person who watches someone sign an important paper and then signs it too. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#m3)
4. (verb) To witness something means to see it happen: "we witnessed a rainbow over the sea". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#m4)

### In the lessons

In stories and crime tales, detectives question witnesses to find out what happened. In safety lessons, if you witness an accident, tell a grown-up or call for help. Phrases: eye witness (eyewitness), witness box (UK) or witness stand (USA), bear witness, witness statement.

### Examples

- A witness saw the car go through the red light. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x1)
- The detective spoke to three witnesses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x2)
- She was called as a witness in court. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x3)
- We witnessed an amazing sunset. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x4)
- My aunt signed as a witness to the will. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x5)
- Did anyone witness the accident? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x6)
- Five people saw it, so there were 5 witnesses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x7)
- It was a terrible sight for a little girl to witness. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/#x8)

### Note

Plural: witnesses (add -es). Past: witnessed. In the UK the witness stands in the "witness box"; in the USA on the "witness stand". An eyewitness saw it with their own eyes.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Torah a witness speaks in court about what he saw; the law demands honest witnesses and forbids false testimony. Proverbs and Psalms warn about false and unrighteous witnesses, and Lamentations uses the word as "take to witness", meaning to compare.

**Interpretation.** The commandment against false witness is one of the Ten Commandments. Tradition requires at least two witnesses for a verdict and warns that lying testimony harms the whole community.

### Examples

- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Torah EXO.20.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/witness/#x1)
- Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Torah DEU.5.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/witness/#x2)
- If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to bear perverted witness against him; (Torah DEU.19.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/witness/#x3)
- What shall I take to witness for thee? (Writings LAM.2.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/witness/#x4)
- He that breatheth forth truth uttereth righteousness; but a false witness deceit. (Writings PRO.12.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/witness/#x5)
- Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I know not. (Writings PSA.35.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/witness/#x6)

### Note

Plural: witnesses (add -es). Past: witnessed. In the UK the witness stands in the "witness box"; in the USA on the "witness stand". An eyewitness saw it with their own eyes.

## Meaning

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «witness» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/witness/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«witness» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/witness.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «witness» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/W/witness/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«witness» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/witness.html) on Mova free.