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Vouchsafing: meaning, definitions and examples

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vouchsafing

 

[ ˈvaʊtʃseɪfɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

formal assurance

Vouchsafing refers to the act of granting or ensuring something in a gracious or condescending manner. It implies a level of authority or superiority in providing assurance or conferring a favor to someone. This word is often used in formal contexts or literature, suggesting an element of privilege or benevolence in the act of ensuring or making something certain. It carries a sense of formality and is less commonly used in everyday conversation.

Synonyms

assure, bestow, confer, grant

Examples of usage

  • The king vouchsafed his blessings to the loyal subjects.
  • She vouchsafed her trust in him after years of friendship.
  • They vouchsafed permission for the event to take place.
  • The scholar vouchsafed knowledge to his eager students.

Translations

Translations of the word "vouchsafing" in other languages:

🇵🇹 garantir

🇮🇳 सुनिश्चित करना

🇩🇪 gewähren

🇮🇩 menjamin

🇺🇦 гарантувати

🇵🇱 zapewniać

🇯🇵 保証する

🇫🇷 garantir

🇪🇸 garantizar

🇹🇷 garanti etmek

🇰🇷 보장하다

🇸🇦 يضمن

🇨🇿 zaručit

🇸🇰 zaručiť

🇨🇳 保证

🇸🇮 zagotoviti

🇮🇸 tryggja

🇰🇿 кепілдік беру

🇬🇪 განსაკუთრებული

🇦🇿 təmin etmək

🇲🇽 garantizar

Etymology

The word 'vouchsafe' comes from the Middle English term 'vouchsafen,' which means 'to grant or bestow.' Its roots trace back to the Old French 'vouchsafre,' meaning 'to grant or permit,' and ultimately to the Latin term 'vocare,' meaning 'to call' or 'to summon.' The prefix 'vouch' signifies to invoke or guarantee, while 'safe' denotes security or protection in the granting process. Historically, the term encapsulated a sense of assurance provided from a position of authority, often used in royal courts and formal settings to signify the bestowal of privileges or certainties from someone in a higher position to those subordinate. This word reflects the language of hierarchy and respect in societal interactions.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,684, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.