noun
promise
PRO-mihs
noun
1
A firm statement that you will or will not do something.
"He kept his promise to call her every night while he was away."
"Breaking a promise to a child can damage their trust for a long time."
2
A sign of future success or good quality.
"The young player showed real promise in his first professional season."
verb
1
To commit to doing (or not doing) something.
"She promised to finish the report by Friday."
2
To give a strong indication of something good or likely to happen.
"The dark clouds promised a heavy storm by nightfall."
How to Use Promise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA firm commitment to do something, or a sign that good things are coming.
Common pairings
keep a promise
break a promise
show promise
promise to do something
Word Forms
promised past tense, promises plural, promises singular
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Etymology
From Old French promesse, from Latin prōmissum, from prōmittō ("to send forth, to say beforehand"), from pro- ("forth") plus mittere ("to send") — the same root behind mission, admit, and permit.