vow
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vow
- /vaʊ/
Rhymes with -aʊ
Where it comes from
Inherited from Middle English vowe, voue, that from Old French vut, in turn from Latin vōtum (“a promise, dedication, vow”), from vovēre (“to promise, vow”). Not related to avow. Doublet of vote.
noun vows
- A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order. The old hermit, up in the mountains, took a vow of silence.
- A declaration or assertion. Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself.
- A votive offering. There are also waxen vows, that represent other parts of the body mixed with them; but of these there are few in comparison of the number of the Priapi.
verb vows · vowing · vowed
- To make a vow; to promise. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.
- To make a vow regarding (something). The wronged woman vowed revenge.
- To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation. The rebels vowed to continue their fight.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: oath, consecrate, swearing, promise, pledge, swear, commit, covenant, commitment, vote, hope, wish, voting, desire, threaten, curse
Translations
Every language
noun a solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner
| Español | voto, manda, promesa |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 맹세 maengse, 서약 seoyak |
| 日本語 | 誓い chikai, 誓約 seiyaku |
| 中文 | 誓言 shìyán, 誓約 /誓约 shìyuē |
| हिन्दी | वचन vacan, प्रण praṇ, व्रत vrat, प्रतिज्ञा pratijñā, मन्नत mannat |
| Kiswahili | nadhiri |
| Português | bodo, voto |
| Français | voeu, vœu |
| Deutsch | Gelübde, Schwur, Eid, Gelöbnis |
| Italiano | voto |
| Ελληνικά | όρκος órkos |
| Română | jurământ |
| Русский | кля́тва kljátva, прися́га prisjága, обе́т obét, заро́к zarók |
| Tiếng Việt | lời thề, lời nguyền |
| العربية | نَذْر naḏr |
| עברית | נֶדֶר néder |
noun a declaration or assertion
| 中文 | 保證 /保证 bǎozhèng |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | संकल्प saṅkalp |
| Deutsch | Eid |
| Italiano | voto |
| Ελληνικά | διαβεβαίωση diavevaíosi |
| Русский | обяза́тельство objazátelʹstvo, завере́ние zaverénije |
verb to make a vow
| Español | devodar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 맹세하다 maengsehada |
| 日本語 | 誓う chikau, 契る chigiru |
| 中文 | 發誓 /发誓 fāshì |
| हिन्दी | वचन vacan, प्रण praṇ, प्रतिज्ञा pratijñā |
| Français | jurer |
| Deutsch | schwören, geloben |
| Italiano | giurare, votare |
| Русский | кля́сться kljástʹsja, покля́сться pokljástʹsja, присяга́ть prisjagátʹ, присягну́ть prisjagnútʹ, дава́ть обе́т davátʹ obét, обеща́ть obeščátʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | phát nguyện |
| العربية | نَذَرَ naḏara |
verb to declare publicly that one made a vow
| 中文 | 宣誓 xuānshì |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | sich dazu erklärt haben |
| Русский | кля́сться kljástʹsja, покля́сться pokljástʹsja, обеща́ть obeščátʹ, пообеща́ть poobeščátʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | tuyên thệ |
Talk about this word "vow." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/vow. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. vow. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/vow "vow." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/vow.Cite this
@misc{vow_2026,
title = {vow},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/vow},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
