Witness ˈwɪtnəs Police Person Evidence Failed Protection Extra

• he failed to interview a key witness.
• police have appealed for witnesses to the accident.
• we have a witness to the killing.
• according to witnesses, the man jumped out of his vehicle and attacked the other driver.

witness

1. a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it to other people
• He failed to interview a key witness.
• Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident.
• We have a witness to the killing.
• According to witnesses, the man jumped out of his vehicle and attacked the other driver.
• She gave a witness statement to the police.
• Mark had to go into the witness protection programme to escape the violence.

Extra Examples

• A judicial investigation was ordered, but witnesses were threatened and none would testify.
• According to witnesses, the thief escaped through the bedroom window.
• Police have so far failed to trace any witnesses to the attack.
• She was the only witness to identify Peters as the attacker.
• The police are appealing for witnesses.
• Two witnesses came forward with evidence.
• Witnesses reported that the suspect was a white male.
• He was charged with conspiracy to suborn witnesses.
2. a person who gives evidence in court
• SEE ALSO hostile witness
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/hostile-witness
• a defence/prosecution witness
• He was hired to be an expert witness in the trial.
• to appear as (a) witness for the defence/prosecution
• The defence called their first witness.
• Several witnesses testified that there had been two gunmen.

Extra Examples

• He was placed on a witness protection scheme.
• He was subpoenaed as a witness in a bankruptcy case.
• She appeared as a character witness.
• She went into a witness protection program.
• The jury convicted him on two counts of witness tampering.
• The next witness took the stand.
• the defence's chief witness
• She appeared as a witness for the prosecution.
• As the last person to see her alive, he was a material witness in the case.
3. a person who is present when an official document is signed and who also signs it to prove that they saw this happen
• He was one of the witnesses at our wedding.
• The will was signed in the presence of two witnesses.
• There was no witness to her signature.

Extra Examples

• When you sign the contract you'll need a witness.
• the marriage contract is signed in front of witnesses
• Would you be willing to act as a witness to my signature when I sign my will?
4. evidence of a person’s strong religious beliefs, that they show by what they say and do in public
• SEE ALSO Jehovah’s Witness
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/jehovah-s-witness
5. to provide evidence of the truth of something
• The crowd of mourners at his funeral bore witness to the great affection in which he was held.
• The ancient temples bear silent witness to the passing dynasties.
6. to see something take place
• He has been witness to a terrible murder.
• a witness to murder
7. to show that something is true; to provide evidence for something
• His good health is a witness to the success of the treatment.

Word Origin

• Old English witnes (see wit, -ness).