Also 5–6 testy-, 5–7 teste-; 4 -fiȝe, 4–6 -fye, 4–8 -fie, 6 (Sc.) -fei [ad. late or med.L. testificāre, cl. L. testificārī to bear witness, proclaim, f. testi-s witness + fic-us making: see -FY. So obs. F. testifier (16th c.).]
1. trans. To bear witness to, or give proof of (a fact); to assert or affirm the truth of (a statement); to attest.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIII. 172. Meny prouerbis ich myghte haue of meny holy seyntes, To testifie [v.rr. testefie, testefiȝe] for treuthe þe tale þat ich shewe.
c. 1420. ? Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 452. That can Dame Nature well testyfy.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 10 § 2. ij witnesses or moo that woll witnesse and testefie the seid payment.
1526. Tindale, John iii. 11. We speake that we knowe, and testify that we have sene.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 55 b. A signe wherby he maye testifie, that he careth for vs.
16[?]. Rolls of Parlt., II. 438/1. It is testified by the said Earle … that the said Arnold was taken.
1820. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1830), IV. 325. The superlative wisdom of Socrates is testified by all antiquity.
b. intr. (usually with of) and absol.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 93. Þanne shal he testifye of a trinitee and take his felawe to witnesse.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 2448. That they shulde testyfy with hym in this case.
1526. Tindale, John ii. 25. Jesus … neded nott that eny man shulde testify off man. For he knewe what was in man.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Familye of Loue, To Rdr. *iv b. Those which take in hand to testifie of any matter whatsoever.
1746–7. Hervey, Medit. (1818), 192. Drop down, ye Showers, and testify as you fall, testify of His grace.
1884. J. Quincy, Figures of Past, 228. [He] testified to me of the affection with which he was regarded by his slaves.
2. transf. of things: a. trans. To serve as evidence of; to constitute proof or testimony of. b. intr. and absol.
1445. in Anglia, XXVIII. 271. Also thi writyng testifieth thi yiftes be not streyned.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. ii. 158. The brickes are aliue at this day to testifie it.
1644. Evelyn, Diary, 12 Nov. Dioclesian’s Bathes, whose ruines testifie the vastness of the original foundation.
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., II. 132. Do not these shells testify a present, or a former communication between these contending elements of fire and water?
1849. Hanna, Mem. Chalmers, I. ii. 42. The manuscript volumes … still remain to testify his diligence.
1879. Huxley, Hume, vi. 116. The proposition must mean … that the fact is testified by my present consciousness.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. iii. 131. Why heere is the note of the fashion to testify…. Reade it.
1879. M. Pattison, Milton, iii. 37. His three Latin epigrams addressed to this lady … testify to the enthusiasm she excited in the musical soul of Milton.
3. trans. To profess and openly acknowledge (a fact, belief, object of faith or devotion, etc.); to proclaim as something that one knows or believes. Chiefly biblical. b. intr. To bear testimony.
1526. Tindale, Acts xx. 24. The ministracion which I have receaved of the lorde Jesu to testify the gospell of the grace of god.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Esdras ii. 36. I testifie my sauioure openly.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., vii. (1640), 72. To testifie our fall in Adam, the Church appoints us to fall upon our knees.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. ii. 112. He … stood upon his feet, and exclaimed, I testify that there is no deity but God.
1867. Visct. Strangford, Select. (1869), II. 73. They testify their faith therein openly and aloud.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 856. In vain thy creatures testify of thee, Till thou proclaim thyself.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xii. Them that witnessed, and testified, and fought, and endured pit, prison-house, and transportation.
1853. Kingsley, Hypatia, xxx. They had no mind to be martyrs, for they had nothing for which to testify.
4. intr. and trans. To declare solemnly; = PROTEST v. 1. Obs. exc. in biblical use.
1526. Tindale, John xiii. 21. Jesus … was troubled in his sprete and testified sayinge: verely verely I saye vnto you, that won off you shall betraye me. Ibid., Gal. v. 3. I testifie agayne to every man … that he is bounde to kepe the whole lawe. Ibid., 2 Tim. iv. 1. I testifie therfore before god, and before the lorde Jesu Christ … preache the worde, be fervent, be it in season or out of season.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Sam. viii. 9. Testifye vnto them, and shewe them the lawe of the kynge that shall raigne ouer them. Ibid., Ps. xlix. 7. Let me testifie amonge you, o Israel: I am God euen thy God.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Acts xx. 21. Testifying [Gr. διαμαρτυρὀμενος; Vulg. testificans; earlier vv. witnessing] to Iewes and Gentils penance toward God and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ.
1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 721. At length a Reverend Sire among them came,… And testifi’d against thir wayes.
5. trans. To give evidence of, display, manifest, express (desire, emotion, etc.). Obs. or arch.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 120 b. An oration … testifying the inward sorow, which he had conceaued.
1678. Trans. Crt. Spain, 32. The people of Madrid testified a great desire of seeing our young Prince.
1701. W. Wotton, Hist. Rome, vi. 107. Nothing was too much to testify the Peoples Joy.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XVIII. iv. He was the only person … who testified any real concern.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. II. viii. 228. She begs her brother … to testify his own satisfaction by the most gracious letters … that he can write.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., X. viii. (1872), III. 292. The grimly sympathetic Generals testified assent.
Hence Testifying vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1575–85. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (Parker Soc.), 87. A testifying of our godliness towards him.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, Wks. (Grosart), III. 19. For a testifying incouragement how much I wish thy encrease in those languages.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 222. A seal is an engaging or obliging sign, or at least a testifying.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xix. A man, exercised in the testimonies of that testifying period.
1901. C. G. McCrie, Ch. Scotl., II. i. 151. It reveals no advance upon the testifyings of New Light Burghers.
