# promise

Pronunciation: US say "PRAH-mis" /ˈpɹɑmɪs/; UK say "PRO-mis" /ˈpɹɒmɪs/

## Verb

1. To pledge that one will carry out an action or bring about a result, or to give someone one's word on it.
   - Simple: To tell someone you will surely do something.
   - _I promise to return your car with a full tank._
   - _The mayor promised lower taxes throughout the campaign._
4. To make it seem likely that something, especially something good, will happen or be found.
   - Simple: To give a good reason to expect that something will happen.
   - _These early results promise a strong recovery for the company._
   - _The opening chapter promises an unusual and gripping story._

## Noun

2. A statement that you will or will not do something, or will give something; a vow or pledge.
   - Simple: When you tell someone that you will certainly do something, or not do it.
   - _The candidate's promise to lower fares won her many votes._
   - _Diplomats exchanged solemn promises to honor the ceasefire._
3. The potential of someone or something to improve or succeed.
   - Simple: A sign that someone or something may do very well in the future.
   - _The startup attracted investors because of its evident promise._
   - _The team lost the final, but its young players showed real promise for next season._

## Noun

5. The bestowal or fulfillment of what has been promised. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: The act of giving or carrying out what was promised.

## Other meanings

- (noun) An object used in asynchronous programming to represent the result of an operation that may not yet have finished.

## Origin

English took it from Old French promesse, which came from Latin prōmissum, 'a promise': the past participle of prōmittō ('I send forth, say beforehand, promise'), formed from pro ('forth') and mittere ('to send'). It replaced the native Old English ġehātan ('to promise').

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/promise (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).