Promise

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹɒmɪs/

Definitions

1. A declaration or commitment to do or not do something in the future, creating an expectation of fulfillment
2. An assurance made to someone that a certain action will take place or be refrained from, which fosters a sense of obligation and trust
3. A statement by someone indicating they will perform or avoid an action in the future ; an indication of future success or ability to develop potential

Etymology: The word "promise" carries a quiet bit of Latin logistics inside it: its ancestor meant "to send forth." The Latin verb "promittere" combined "pro" ("forth") with "mittere" ("to send"), the same root that gives English "mission" and "message." To promise, in other words, was originally to send something out ahead of yourself, a pledge dispatched into the future. The word reached English through Old French "promesse," which in turn came from the Latin past participle "promissum," meaning "a promise." Middle English speakers borrowed it as "promis" and "promisse," and it pushed aside the native Old English verb "ġehātan," meaning "to promise," along with its noun "ġehāt." English once had its own word for this idea, and the Latin-derived one simply won out.

Synonyms: pledge, commitment, assurance, guarantee, vow

Antonyms: breach, reneging, disavowal, betrayal, failure