attest
/əˈtest/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈtest/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈtest/ (ame, mw)
attest — verb
- attestpresent simple I / you / we / they
- attestshe / she / it
- attestedpast simple
- attesting-ing form
1. to give visible proof that a claim or situation matches reality, typically throu
to give visible proof that a claim or situation matches reality, typically through facts, results, or behaviour
The empty seats in the hall attested to the fact that few people had come to the event.
attested to the fact
Dr. Okonkwo attested that the test results showed no signs of infection.
attested that
The team's hard work is attested by their recent improvement in sales.
Yuki's dusty running shoes attested to months of neglect after her injury.
Letters from former students attest that Ms. Chen was a patient and inspiring teacher.
- confirm
more general; implies verifying what was already suspected
- prove
stronger; means to show something is definitely true beyond doubt
- demonstrate
emphasises showing clearly through action or evidence
- disprove
to show that something is false
- contradict
to say or show the opposite of a claim
文法句型
attest + that-clause
attest + to + noun phrase
be attested by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used with the preposition 'to' before the evidence or fact being shown. In this construction the subject is the evidence itself (e.g. 'The results attest to...'). When a person is the subject, a that-clause is common (e.g. 'He attested that...').
常見錯誤
2. to officially declare that a document, signature, or written statement is genuin
to officially declare that a document, signature, or written statement is genuine and legally valid, usually by signing or stamping it
A notary public must attest the signature on the contract before it is valid.
attest the signature
Amina took her degree certificate to the ministry to have it attested for use abroad.
have it attested
Two witnesses attested to the will by signing their names in front of a lawyer.
The court only accepts attested copies of birth certificates as proof of identity.
- certify
very similar; more common in everyday official contexts
- authenticate
formal; emphasises proving something is not fake
- notarize
specific; means a notary public performed the attestation
- invalidate
to make something legally void
- forge
to create a fake version of a document or signature
文法句型
attest + noun (document / signature / will)
attest to + noun phrase
have + noun + attested
attested copy / document (as adjective)
用法筆記
The direct object of 'attest' in this sense is typically a document, signature, or official record. Unlike Sense 1, the preposition 'to' is optional when the object is the document itself. An 'attested copy' is a duplicate that has been officially certified as a true copy of the original.
常見錯誤
3. to make a formal, sworn statement as a witness during a legal proceeding, tellin
to make a formal, sworn statement as a witness during a legal proceeding, telling the court what one knows or has seen
The neighbour attested in court that she had heard loud noises coming from the house.
attested in court
Three former employees attested to the unfair working conditions at the factory.
attested to
Under oath, the witness attested that he had seen the car run a red light.
Mei-Lin was called to attest to the character of her colleague during the trial.
- testify
the more common word in legal contexts; 'attest' is slightly more formal
- bear witness
idiomatic; strongly associated with religious or solemn legal settings
- give evidence
neutral; widely used in modern legal language
- perjure oneself
to deliberately lie while under oath
文法句型
attest + that-clause (legal context)
attest + to + noun phrase
attest + in court
attest + under oath
用法筆記
Distinguish from Sense 1: Sense 3 is confined to legal or formal investigative settings where the speaker makes a sworn promise to tell the truth. The preposition 'to' introduces what the witness speaks about ('attest to the truth of...'), while 'that' introduces their actual statement.