different between attest vs asseverate

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French attester, from Latin attestor (“to witness to, bear witness”), from at-, combining form of ad (“to”) + testor (“to bear witness”), from testis (“a witness”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??t?st/
• Rhymes: -?st

Verb

attest (third-person singular simple present attests, present participle attesting, simple past and past participle attested)

1. (transitive) To affirm to be correct, true, or genuine.

   When will the appraiser attest the date of the painting?

   • 1730, Joseph Addison, The Evidences Of The Christian Religion

     facts […] attested by particular pagan authors

   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V iii 1 (Act ii in First Folio edition)

     Dishonour not your Mothers: now attest that those whom you call'd Fathers, did beget you.

2. (transitive) To certify by signature or oath.

   You must attest your will in order for it to be valid.

3. (transitive) To certify in an official capacity.
4. (transitive, intransitive) To supply or be evidence of.

   Her fine work attested her ability.

   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V Prologue (First Folio edition)

     O pardon : since a crooked Figure may / Attest in little place a Million, / And let us, Cyphers to this great Accompt, / On your imaginarie Forces worke.

5. (transitive) To put under oath.
6. (transitive, obsolete) To call to witness; to invoke.

   • The sacred streams which Heaven's imperial state / Attests in oaths, and fears to violate.

Derived terms

• attestation
• attested
• attestment

Translations

See also

• cite
• quote

Further reading

• attest in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• attest in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• attest at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• T-state

Dutch

Etymology

Shortening of attestatie.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??t?st/
• Hyphenation: at?test
• Rhymes: -?st

Noun

attest n (plural attesten, diminutive attestje n)

1. certificate, document supporting an assertion

Anagrams

• tastte

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin attestatum

Noun

attest m (definite singular attesten, indefinite plural attester, definite plural attestene)

1. a certificate
2. a testimonial

Derived terms

• dødsattest
• fødselsattest
• vielsesattest
• vigselsattest

References

• “attest” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin attestatum

Noun

attest m (definite singular attesten, indefinite plural attestar, definite plural attestane)

1. a certificate
2. a testimonial

Derived terms

• dødsattest
• fødselsattest

References

• “attest” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Noun

attest c

1. certification, authorization; certificate

Declension

Related terms

• attestera

Anagrams

• testat

English

Etymology

From Latin assev?r?re, from assev?r? (“I assert”).

Verb

asseverate (third-person singular simple present asseverates, present participle asseverating, simple past and past participle asseverated)

1. (transitive) To declare earnestly, seriously, or positively; to affirm.
   • 1642, Sir Richard Gurney, 1st Baronet, The Lord Maior of Londons Letter to the King at Yorke, June 22, London,^[1]

     Whereas Your Maiesty hath received true information of great sums of Money endeavoured to be borrowed of Your City of London, by directions proceeding from both Houses of Parliament […] (I Your Maiesties faithfull Subiect) doe conceive, and dare asseverate, that it is intended upon no other pretence then for the Honour and defence of Your Maiesty,

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Dublin: John Smith, Volume 2, Book 10, Chapter 7, p. 261,^[2]

     I will myself asseverate and bind it by an Oath, that the Muff thou bearest in thy Hand belonged unto Madam Sophia;

   • 1818, Walter Scott, Rob Roy, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable, Volume 1, Chapter 9, p. 195-196,^[3]

     “And I presume you can also asseverate to his worship, that no man is better qualified than I am to bear testimony in this case, seeing that I was by you, and near you, constantly during the whole occurrence?”

   • 1931, H. P. Lovecraft, The Whisperer in Darkness, chapter 1:

     The more I laughed at such theories, the more these stubborn friends asseverated them; adding that even without the heritage of legend the recent reports were too clear, consistent, detailed, and sanely prosaic in manner of telling, to be completely ignored.

   • 1971, Iris Murdoch, The Accidental Man, New York: Viking, p. 31,^[4]

     A time would come, Mr. Secombe-Hughes mysteriously asseverated, when all would be well and she would get her money.

Derived terms

• asseverative

Related terms

• asseveration

Translations

Italian

Verb

asseverate

1. second-person plural present indicative of asseverare
2. second-person plural imperative of asseverare

Participle

asseverate

1. feminine plural of the past participle of asseverare

Latin

Pronunciation

• assev?r?t?: (Classical) IPA^(key): /as.se.u?e??ra?.te?/, [äs???u?e???ä?t?e?]
• assev?r?t?: (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /as.se.ve?ra.te/, [?s??v?????t??]
• assev?r?te: (Classical) IPA^(key): /as.se.u?e??ra?.te/, [äs???u?e???ä?t??]
• assev?r?te: (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /as.se.ve?ra.te/, [?s??v?????t??]

Adverb

assev?r?t? (not comparable)

1. earnestly, emphatically

Alternative forms

• adsev?r?t?

Verb

assev?r?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of assev?r?

References

• asseverate in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)