{
    "term": "promise",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "promise",
            "heSheIt": "promises"
        },
        "pastSimple": "promised",
        "pastParticiple": "promised",
        "ingForm": "promising"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to tell somebody that you will definitely do or not do something, or that something will definitely happen",
            "sensetop": "promise to do somethingpromise somethingpromise (that)…promise somebody (that)…promise something to somebodypromise somebody somethingpromise yourself somethingpromise (somebody) + speech",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘We haven't got time to go to the park.’ ‘But you promised!’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The college principal promised to look into the matter.",
                    "contextForm": "promise to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Promise not to tell anyone!’ ‘I promise.’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They arrived at 7.30 as they had promised."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The government has promised a full investigation into the disaster.",
                    "contextForm": "promise something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'll see what I can do but **I can't promise anything**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The brochure promised (that) the local food would be superb.",
                    "contextForm": "promise (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You promised me (that) you’d be home early tonight.",
                    "contextForm": "promise somebody (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He promised the money to his grandchildren.",
                    "contextForm": "promise something to somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He promised his grandchildren the money.",
                    "contextForm": "promise somebody something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I've promised myself some fun when the exams are over.",
                    "contextForm": "promise yourself something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘I'll be back soon,’ she promised.",
                    "contextForm": "promise (somebody) + speech"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He repeatedly promised to cut taxes in his campaign."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I am sending you information on holidays as promised."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I can definitely promise you that I'll do all I can to help."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I can't promise I'll be there."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She promised faithfully that she would come."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I've promised my old computer to Jane."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["faithfully", "solemnly", "initially"],
                "verb + promise": ["can", "cannot", "seem to"],
                "preposition": ["to"],
                "phrases": ["as promised", "I can’t promise anything"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to make something seem likely to happen; to show signs of something",
            "sensetop": "it promises to be somethingpromise something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It promises to be an exciting few days.",
                    "contextForm": "it promises to be something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "There were dark clouds overhead promising rain.",
                    "contextForm": "promise something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The plan seemed to promise a new beginning."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was a disappointing end to a season which had promised so much for the team."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The new drug promises to bring relief to thousands of asthma sufferers."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used as a way of encouraging or warning somebody about something",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I can promise you, you'll have a wonderful time."
                },
                {
                    "text": "If you don't take my advice, you'll regret it, I promise you."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to make promises that will be impossible to keep",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Politicians promise the earth before an election, but things are different afterwards."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɒmɪs/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promise__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɒmɪsɪz/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promises__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɒmɪst/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promised__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɒmɪsɪŋ/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promising__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɑːmɪs/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promise__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɑːmɪsɪz/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promises__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɑːmɪst/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promised__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈprɑːmɪsɪŋ/",
                "audio": "pr/promise/promising__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: from Latin promissum ‘something promised’, neuter past participle of promittere ‘put forth, promise’, from pro- ‘forward’ + mittere ‘send’."
}