Definition of "vouch"

(transitive)

1. To call on (someone) to be a witness to something.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • Nor need I ſpeak my Deeds, for thoſe you ſee,The Sun and Day are Witneſſes for me.Let him who fights unſeen, relate his own,And vouch the ſilent Stars, and conſcious Moon.

     1717, John Dryden, “Book XIII. [The Speeches of Ajax and Ulysses.]”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], page 436

2. To cite or rely on (an authority, a written work, etc.) in support of one's actions or opinions.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • But the most catholike and renoumed doctours of Christes religion in the corroboration of their argumentes and sentences, do alledge the same histories and vouche (as I mought say) to their ayde the autoritie of the writars.

     1531, Thomas Elyot, “Of Experience whiche haue Preceded Our Tyme, with a Defence of Histories”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […] (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co, published , 3rd book, page 283

   • [F]or more credit to which aſſertion hee vouched ſundry books, and acts, […]

     1623, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Edvvard the First, […]”, in The Historie of Great Britaine under the Conquests of the Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Iohn Beale, for George Humble, […], book 10, paragraph 19, page 651, column 2

   • Pray tell us where your moderate (for great ones you acknowledg to do harm, and to be uſeleſs) Penalties have been uſed, with ſuch Succeſs, that we may be paſt doubt too. If you can ſhew no ſuch place, do you not vouch Experience where you have none?

     1692 June 30 (Gregorian calendar), Philanthropus [pseudonym; John Locke], “On the Usefulness of Force in Matters of Religion”, in A Third Letter for Toleration, […], London: […] Awnsham and John Churchill, […], page 219

3. To affirm or warrant the correctness or truth of (something); also, to affirm or warrant (the truth of an assertion or statement).  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • Nay tis moſt credible, we heere receiue it,A certaintie vouch'd from our Coſin Auſtria, […]

     c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii], page 232, column 1

   • Deliuer them this Paper: hauing read it,Bid them repayre to th' Market place, where IEuen in theirs, and in the Commons earesWill vouch the truth of it.

     c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene vi], page 29, column 1

   • [T]hey have made him aſham'd firſt to Vouch the Truth of the Relation, and afterwards even to Credit it.

     1705 November 8 (Gregorian calendar), Francis Atterbury, “A Standing Revelation, the Best Means of Conviction. A Sermon Preach’d before Her Majesty, at St. James’s Chapel, on Sunday, October 28. 1705, being the Festival of St. Simon and St. Jude.”, in Fourteen Sermons Preach’d on Several Occasions. […], London: […] E. P. [Edmund Parker?] for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1708, page 343

   • Hold it fast and guard it well!Go and see and vouch for certain, then come back and never tellLiving soul but us; and haply, prove our sky from cloud as clear,There may we four meet, praise fortune just as now, another year!

     1877 September 14, Robert Browning, “La Saisiaz”, in La Saisiaz: The Two Poets of Croisic, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], published 1878, page 13

4. To bear witness or testify to the nature or qualities (of someone or something).  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • If a Man ſucceeds in any Attempt, though undertook with never ſo much Folly and Raſhneſs, his Succeſs ſhall vouch him a Politician; and good Luck ſhall paſs for deep Contrivance: […]

     1685 March 4 (Gregorian calendar); first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at the Westminster-Abbey, February 22. 1684–5 , published 1727, pages 318–319

5. To back, confirm, or support (someone or something) with credible evidence or proof.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • [M]ee damp horror chil'dAt ſuch bold words voucht with a deed ſo bold: […]

     1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, lines 65–66

6. (archaic) Synonym of vouchsafe (“to condescendingly or graciously give or grant (something)”)  quotations

   Quotations

   • Our Maſter MarsHaſt vouch'd his Oracle, and to Arcite gaveThe grace of the Contention: So the DeitiesHave ſhewd due juſtice: […]

     1613–1614 (date written), John Fletcher, William Shak[e]speare, The Two Noble Kinsmen: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Waterson; […], published 1634, Act V, scene iv, page 88

7. (archaic or obsolete) To assert, aver, or declare (something).  quotations

   Quotations

   • But wherein then according to their Opinion did this Image of God conſiſt? Why, in that Power and Dominion that God gave Adam over the Creatures: In that he was vouched his immediate Deputy upon Earth, the Viceroy of the Creation, and Lord-Lieutenant of the World.

     1662 November 19 (Gregorian calendar); first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at the Cathedral-Church of St. Paul’s, November the 9th, 1662 , published 1727, page 48

   • [W]hat we have doneNone shall dare vouch, tho' it be truly known; […]

     1817 December (indicated as 1818), Percy B[ysshe] Shelley, “Canto Ninth”, in Laon and Cythna; or, The Revolution of the Golden City: A Vision of the Nineteenth Century. […], London: […] [F]or Sherwood, Neely, & Jones, […]; and C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier, […]; by B. M‘Millan, […], stanza XXXI, page 208

8. (law)

   1. In full vouch to warrant or vouch to warranty: to summon (someone) into court to establish a warranty of title to land.  quotations  examples

      Quotations

      • [W]hen the Tenant being impleaded within a particular iuriſdiction (as in London or the like) voucheth one to warranty and prayes that he may be ſummoned in ſome other county out of the iuriſdiction of that Court: this is called a foreine Voucher, […]

        1628, Edw[ard] Coke, “Homage Auncestrel”, in The First Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England. […], London: […] [Adam Islip] for the Societe of Stationers, book 2, chapter 7, section 145, folio 102, recto

      • If Edwards therefore be tenant of the freehold in poſſeſſion, and John Barker be tenant in tail in remainder, here Edwards doth firſt vouch Barker, and then Barker vouches Jacob Morland the common vouchee; […]

        1766, William Blackstone, “Of Alienation by Matter of Record”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book II (Of the Rights of Things), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, page 359

   2. Followed by over: of a vouchee (a person summoned to court to establish a warranty of title): to summon (someone) to court in their place.  quotations  examples

      Quotations

      • [I]t is now uſual always to have a recovery with double voucher at the leaſt; by firſt conveying an eſtate of freehold to any indifferent perſon, againſt whom the praecipe is brought; and then he vouches the tenant in tail, who vouches over the common vouchee.

        1766, William Blackstone, “Of Alienation by Matter of Record”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book II (Of the Rights of Things), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, page 359

   3. (obsolete) To guarantee legal title (to something).  quotations

      Quotations

      • [W]ill vouchers vouch him no more of his purchaſes & doubles then the length and breadth of a payre of Indentures?

        c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, [Act V, scene i]

      • If one ignorantly buyeth ſtolen Cattel, and hath them fairly vouched unto him, and publickly in an open Fair payeth Tole for them, he cannot be damnified thereby: […]

        a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, “Of the Authors from whom Our Intelligence in the Following Work hath been Derived”, in The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, page 64

(intransitive) Often followed by for.

1. To bear witness or testify; to guarantee or sponsor.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • What can you vouch againſt him, Signior Lucio? Is this the man that you did tell vs of?

     c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene i], page 82, column 1

   • I therefore vouch againe,That with ſome mixtures povverfull ore the blood,Or vvith ſome dram coniur'd to this effect,He vvrought vpon her.

     c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragœdy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. […] (First Quarto), London: […] N[icholas] O[kes] for Thomas Walkley, […], published 1622, [Act I, scene iii], page 12

   • I am not worthie of the wealth I owe,Nor dare I ſay 'tis mine: and yet it is,But like a timorous theefe, moſt faine would ſtealeWhat law does vouch mine owne.

     c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene v], page 240, column 2

   • Here he directly charges her majesty with delivering a falsehood to her parliament from the throne; and declares he will not believe her, until the elector of Hanover himself shall vouch for the truth of what she has so solemnly affirmed.

     1714 February, Jonathan Swift, “The Publick Spirit of the Whigs. Set forth in Their Generous Encouragement of the Author of the Crisis. […]”, in Thomas Sheridan and John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume III, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, page 325

   • My temper I dare not vouch for.—It is I believe too little yielding—certainly too little for the convenience of the world.

     1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XI, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], page 129

   • [T]hey are still less Christian men, for the Prior of the Dominicans will vouch for me, that they are more than half heathen.

     1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, in Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume III, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, page 313

2. To provide evidence or proof.  examples

3. To express confidence in or take responsibility for (the correctness or truth of) something.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • Lives still such maid?—Fair damsels say,For further vouches not my lay,Save that such lived in Britain's isle,Where Lorn's bright Edith scorn'd to smile.That is, Scott's lay or poem does not vouch further for the truth of the previous statement.

     1815, Walter Scott, “Canto First”, in The Lord of the Isles, a Poem, Edinburgh: […] [F]or Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown; by James Ballantyne and Co., […], stanza VI, page 12

   • 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.

     1826, [Mary Shelley], chapter III, in The Last Man. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 78

(archaic or obsolete) An assertion, a declaration; also, a formal attestation or warrant of the correctness or truth of something.  quotations