{
    "term": "witness",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it to other people",
            "sensetop": "witness to something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He failed to interview a key witness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Police have **appealed for witnesses** to the accident.",
                    "contextForm": "witness to something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We have a witness to the killing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "According to witnesses, the man jumped out of his vehicle and attacked the other driver."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She gave a **witness statement** to the police."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Mark had to go into the witness protection programme to escape the violence."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A judicial investigation was ordered, but witnesses were threatened and none would testify."
                },
                {
                    "text": "According to witnesses, the thief escaped through the bedroom window."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Police have so far failed to trace any witnesses to the attack."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was the only witness to identify Peters as the attacker."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The police are appealing for witnesses."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Two witnesses came forward with evidence."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Witnesses reported that the suspect was a white male."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was charged with conspiracy to suborn witnesses."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Crime and punishment"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["crucial", "key", "material"],
                "verb + witness": ["appeal for", "trace"],
                "witness + verb": ["come forward", "report"],
                "witness + noun": ["account", "statement"],
                "preposition": ["according to witness", "witness to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a person who gives evidence in court",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **defence/prosecution witness**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was hired to be an **expert witness** in the trial."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to appear as (a) **witness for the defence/prosecution**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The defence **called **their first **witness**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Several witnesses testified that there had been two gunmen."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was placed on a witness protection scheme."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was subpoenaed as a witness in a bankruptcy case."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She appeared as a character witness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She went into a witness protection program."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The jury convicted him on two counts of witness tampering."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The next witness took the stand."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the defence's chief witness"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She appeared as a witness for the prosecution."
                },
                {
                    "text": "As the last person to see her alive, he was a material witness in the case."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Law and justice"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["chief", "main", "principal"],
                "verb + witness": ["call", "subpoena", "summon"],
                "witness + verb": ["be sworn in", "take the stand", "give evidence"],
                "witness + noun": ["box", "stand", "summons"],
                "phrases": [
                    "a witness for the defence/​defense",
                    "a witness for the prosecution"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a person who is present when an official document is signed and who also signs it to prove that they saw this happen",
            "sensetop": "witness to something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He was one of the witnesses at our wedding."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The will was signed in the presence of two witnesses."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was no witness to her signature.",
                    "contextForm": "witness to something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "When you sign the contract you'll need a witness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the marriage contract is signed in front of witnesses"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Would you be willing to act as a witness to my signature when I sign my will?"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Law and justice"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["crucial", "key", "material"],
                "verb + witness": ["appeal for", "trace"],
                "witness + verb": ["come forward", "report"],
                "witness + noun": ["account", "statement"],
                "preposition": ["according to witness", "witness to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "evidence of a person’s strong religious beliefs, that they show by what they say and do in public",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to provide evidence of the truth of something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The crowd of mourners at his funeral bore witness to the great affection in which he was held."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The ancient temples bear silent witness to the passing dynasties."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to see something take place",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He has been witness to a terrible murder."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a witness to murder"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to show that something is true; to provide evidence for something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His good health is a witness to the success of the treatment."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈwɪtnəs/",
                "audio": "wi/witness/witness__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈwɪtnəs/",
                "audio": "wi/witness/witness__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English witnes (see wit, -ness)."
}