witness

{{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}}

noun

1 person who sees sth

ADJECTIVE

▪ crucial (esp. BrE), key, material, vital (esp. BrE)

▪

As the last person to see her alive, he was a material witness in the case.

▪ independent (esp. BrE)

▪ credible, reliable

▪ unreliable

▪ silent (figurative)

▪

The ancient temples bear silent witness to the passing dynasties.

VERB + WITNESS

▪ appeal for (esp. BrE)

▪

The police are appealing for witnesses.

▪ trace

▪

Police have so far failed to trace any witnesses to the attack.

WITNESS + VERB

▪ come forward

▪

Two witnesses came forward with evidence.

▪ report

▪

Witnesses reported that the suspect was a white male.

WITNESS + NOUN

▪ account, statement (esp. BrE)

PREPOSITION

▪ according to witness

▪

According to witnesses, the thief escaped through the bedroom window.

▪ witness to

▪

a witness to murder

2 in a court of law

ADJECTIVE

▪ chief, main, principal (esp. BrE), star (esp. AmE)

▪

the prosecution's chief witness

▪ potential

▪ reluctant, unwilling

▪ hostile

▪ defence/defense, prosecution

▪ federal, state, state's (all AmE)

▪ expert

▪ character

▪ civilian, police (BrE)

VERB + WITNESS

▪ call, subpoena, summon (esp. BrE)

▪

The defence called their first witness.

▪ be called as, be subpoenaed as, be summoned as (esp. BrE)

▪

He was subpoenaed as a witness in a bankruptcy case.

▪ appear as

▪

She appeared as a character witness.

▪ swear in

▪ cross-examine, examine, interrogate, interview, question

▪ hear

▪ discredit

▪ intimidate, threaten

▪

A judicial investigation was ordered, but witnesses were threatened and none would testify.

▪ protect

WITNESS + VERB

▪ be sworn in, take the stand

▪

The next witness took the stand.

▪ give evidence, testify

▪ state sth

▪ identify sb

▪

She was the only witness to identify Peters as the attacker.

WITNESS + NOUN

▪ box (BrE), stand (AmE)

▪ summons (BrE)

▪ testimony (esp. AmE)

▪ intimidation (esp. BrE), tampering (esp. AmE)

▪

The jury convicted him on two counts of witness tampering.

▪ protection

▪

She went into a witness protection program. (AmE)

▪

He was placed on a witness protection scheme. (BrE)

PHRASES

▪ a witness for the defence/defense, a witness for the prosecution

3 of a signature

VERB + WITNESS

▪ act as

WITNESS + VERB

▪ sign

PREPOSITION

▪ in front of witness

▪

the marriage contract is signed in front of witnesses

▪ witness to

▪

Would you be willing to act as a witness to my signature when I sign my will?

{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}

verb

Witness is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑century, ↑decade

Witness is used with these nouns as the object: ↑act, ↑beginning, ↑collapse, ↑crime, ↑death, ↑decline, ↑destruction, ↑display, ↑downturn, ↑emergence, ↑erosion, ↑escalation, ↑event, ↑execution, ↑explosion, ↑horror, ↑improvement, ↑incident, ↑miracle, ↑murder, ↑revival, ↑scene, ↑shift, ↑sight, ↑signature, ↑spectacle, ↑suffering, ↑tragedy, ↑transformation, ↑violence