Vowing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The action of asserting a strong promise or commitment is evident
2. The act of solemnly pledging to do or refrain from something
3. The process of formally committing oneself to a particular course or behavior

Etymology: The verb "vowing" is simply the present participle of "vow," so its story is really the story of "vow." English took the noun from Middle English "vowe" and "voue," which came through Old French "vut." That French form descends from Latin "vōtum," meaning a promise or a solemn dedication, and that in turn comes from the verb "vovēre," to promise or pledge. The Latin root carried a sense of formally binding oneself, which is why a vow still sounds like something more serious than an ordinary promise. A surprising relative of "vow" is "vote." The two are doublets: they descend from the same Latin "vōtum" but arrived in English by different routes, so one stayed close to the religious and solemn sense of a pledge while the other drifted toward choosing and expressing preference. "Avow," which means to openly declare, looks similar but is not related.

Synonyms: promising, pledging, swearing