Testimony \Tes"ti*mo*ny\, n.; pl. Testimonies. [L.
testimonium, from testis a witness: cf. OF. testimoine,
testemoine, testimonie. See Testify.]
1. A solemn declaration or affirmation made for the purpose
of establishing or proving some fact.
Note: Such declaration, in judicial proceedings, may be
verbal or written, but must be under oath or
affirmation.
2. Affirmation; declaration; as, these doctrines are
supported by the uniform testimony of the fathers; the
belief of past facts must depend on the evidence of human
testimony, or the testimony of historians.
3. Open attestation; profession.
[Thou] for the testimony of truth, hast borne
Universal reproach. --Milton.
4. Witness; evidence; proof of some fact.
When ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your
feet for a testimony against them. --Mark vi. 11.
5. (Jewish Antiq.) The two tables of the law.
Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I
shall give thee. --Ex. xxv. 16.
6. Hence, the whole divine revelation; the sacre? Scriptures.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the
simple. --Ps. xix. 7.
Syn: Proof; evidence; attestation; witness; affirmation;
confirmation; averment.
Usage: Testimony, Proof, Evidence. Proof is the most
familiar, and is used more frequently (though not
exclusively) of facts and things which occur in the
ordinary concerns of life. Evidence is a word of more
dignity, and is more generally applied to that which
is moral or intellectual; as, the evidences of
Christianity, etc. Testimony is what is deposed to by
a witness on oath or affirmation. When used
figuratively or in a wider sense, the word testimony
has still a reference to some living agent as its
author, as when we speak of the testimony of
conscience, or of doing a thing in testimony of our
affection, etc. Testimony refers rather to the thing
declared, evidence to its value or effect. ``To
conform our language more to common use, we ought to
divide arguments into demonstrations, proofs, and
probabilities; ba proofs, meaning such arguments from
experience as leave no room for doubt or opposition.''
--Hume. ``The evidence of sense is the first and
highest kind of evidence of which human nature is
capable.'' --Bp. Wilkins. ``The proof of everything
must be by the testimony of such as the parties
produce.'' --Spenser.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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