vouch

Borrowed from Old French voucher, from Latin vocāre, present active infinitive of vocō.

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaʊtʃ/
• Rhymes: -aʊtʃ

vouch (third-person singular simple present vouches, present participle vouching, simple past and past participle vouched)

1. To take responsibility for; to express confidence in; to witness; to obtest.
2. To warrant; to maintain by affirmations

   Synonyms: attest, affirm, avouch

   • Atterbury

     They made him ashamed to vouch the truth of the relation, and afterwards to credit it.

   I can vouch that the match took place.

   • Shelley Mary

     The tears that suffused my sister's eyes when I mentioned our friend, and her heightened colour seemed to vouch for the truth of the reports that had reached me.

3. To back; to support; to confirm.
   • Milton

     Me damp horror chilled / At such bold words vouched with a deed so bold.

4. To call into court to warrant and defend, or to make good a warranty of title.
   • Blackstone

     He vouches the tenant in tail, who vouches over the common vouchee.

5. (obsolete) To call; to summon.
   • Sir T. Elyot

     [They] vouch (as I might say) to their aid the authority of the writers.

6. To bear witness; to give testimony or full attestation.
   • Jonathan Swift

     He will not believe her until the elector of Hanover shall vouch for the truth of what she has […] affirmed.

7. To call as a witness.
   • Dryden

     Vouch the silent stars and conscious moon.

8. To assert; to aver; to declare.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

   (Can we add an example for this sense?)

• avouch

vouch (plural vouches)

1. Warrant; attestation.