promise
make a promise or commitment
How often you will meet it
Rank 811 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 22,395 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.011% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
verb
- make a promise or commitment also: assure
- promise to undertake or give I promise you my best effort
- make a prediction about; tell in advance also: predict, foretell, prognosticate, call, forebode, anticipate Call the outcome of an election
- give grounds for expectations The new results were promisingThe results promised fame and glory
noun
- a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future
- grounds for feeling hopeful about the future also: hope there is little or no promise that he will recover
promise in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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It'll be long before I promise you such a thing again.
Famous Stories Every Child Should Know · Hamilton Wright [Editor] Mabie · Chapter 1
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Wilson returned no more, and the promise of a drenching was never fulfilled.
The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance · Hall, Sir Caine · Chapter 1
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The pedagogue’s mouth watered as he looked upon this sumptuous promise of luxurious winter fare.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow · Washington Irving · Chapter 1
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As the Fenians always do exactly what they promise to do, this may be relied upon as certain to happen.
Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 08, May 21, 1870 · Various · Chapter 1
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She knew, under promise of secrecy, that Jack was a tolerable rich man; but he'd bade her not breathe the fact.
The Torch and Other Tales · Eden Phillpotts · Chapter 1