Akademik

witness

▪ I. witness wit‧ness ¹ [ˈwɪtns] noun [countable] LAW

1. someone in a court of law who tells the court what they saw or what they know about a crime:

• The government's case rested on one key (= important ) witness.

• I was asked to testify as a defense witness (= acting to defend the person accused of committing a crime ) .

• the main prosecution witness (= acting to show that the accused person is guilty )

ˌexpert ˈwitness LAW

someone who has expert knowledge in a particular area and comes to a court of law to give their opinion about it:

• He appeared as an expert witness before several government inquiries.

2. someone who is present when an official paper is signed and who also signs it to prove this:

expert witness to

• You will need two witnesses to the signing of the document.

[m0] ▪ II. witness witness ² verb [transitive] LAW

to be present when someone signs an official document, and to sign it yourself to show this:

• Will you witness my signature?

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Ⅰ.

witness UK US /ˈwɪtnəs/ noun [C] LAW

► someone who gives information in a court of law about a particular person or event, usually when there has been a crime or an accident: witness for the defence/prosecution »The key witness for the prosecution was given police protection.
act as/appear as/be called as a witness »Doctors confirmed that he was not fit to be called as a witness in the trial.
»The police are appealing for witnesses.
»a credible/material witness
»a witness account/statement

► someone who signs an official document to prove that an event has happened or that someone is who they say they are: »He signed the treaty in the presence of six witnesses.

→ See also EXPERT WITNESS(Cf. ↑expert witness)

Ⅱ.

witness UK US /ˈwɪtnəs/ verb [T]

► to see something happen, especially an accident or a crime: »The police want to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident.
»witness an attack/crime

► to sign your name on an official document to prove that an event has happened or that someone is who they say they are: witness an agreement/contract/signature »She asked a colleague to witness the contract.

► to experience something happening: »India witnessed significant jumps in its growth rates as it opened up its economy to international trade.

Financial and business terms. 2012.