promise 
Also, DO Stnnnmre oomethe before him but that he 
niakeUw him sum Promts and Graunt, of that the Straun 
fere aakethe resouabely. MandeciUe, Travels, p. 4U. 
O Rome, I make thee promise; 
If the redress will follow, thou receivest 
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus ! 
Shak., J. C., U. 1. 66. 
Statesman, yet friend to Truth ! of soul sincere, . . . 
Who broke no promise, served no private end. 
Pope, To Addlson, 1. 69. 
2. Ground or basis of expectation; earnest; 
pledge. 
There buds the promise of celestial worth ! 
Ynuny, The Last Day, iii. 
Th/ [Friendship's] bloaaoms deck our unsuspecting years ; 
The prvinue of delicious fruit appears. 
Coicper, Valediction. 
3. That which affords a ground or basis for 
hope or for expectation of future excellence or 
distinction : as, a youth of great promise. 
You hare an unspeakable comfort of your young prince 
Mamilllus; It is a gentleman of the greatest promise that 
ever came into my note. Shak., W. T., L 1. 39. 
0, I see the crescent protnue of my spirit hath not set 
Tennyson, Locksley Hall. 
4. That which is promised; fulfilment or grant 
of what is promised. 
And . . . commanded them that they should not depart 
from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. 
Act i. 4. 
Won. Look, when I am king, claim thou of me 
The earldom of Hereford. . . . 
Buck. I'll claim that promise at your grace's hands. 
Shak., Rich. III., ill. 1. 197. 
Absolute promise, a promise which pledges fulfilment 
at all events; a promise unqualified by a condition. 
Breach of promise. See breach. Conditional prom- 
ise, a promise the obligation to fulfil which depends on 
the performance of a condition, or on a contingent or yet 
unknown event Express promise, a promise expressed 
orally or in writing. Implied promise, a promise which 
the law Implies from conduct, as when one employs a 
man to perform a day's labor, without any express promise 
to pay him. The law then presumes a promise on the em- 
ployer's part to give the man a reasonable reward, and it 
will enforce such implied promise. Land of Promise, 
Canaan: so called !>ecause promised by God to Abraham 
In Haran ; figuratively, heaven. Also called The Promised 
Land. 
By faith he (Abraham! sojourned In the land of promise, 
. . . dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob. 
Hell. Xi. 9. 
Mesmeric promise, mutual promises, new promise. 
See the adjectives. Parole promise, (a) A promise 
made orally, (b) A promise made without seal, either 
orally or in writing, as distinguished from one made un- 
der seal, which Is technically called a covenant. Promise 
and Offer. In Scots law, an offer is a proposal made to give 
or to do something, either gratuitously or on an onerous 
consideration ; a promise Is an offer of such a nature that 
the promisor takes the other party'* assent for granted. 
An offer is not binding till it is accepted; a promise is 
binding as soon as It is known by the party it is made to. 
Special promise, an actual promise as distinguished 
from an Implied promise. The Promise, according to 
the account given In the Bible, the assurance given by 
God to Abraham that his descendants should become the 
chosen people, and that In him all the families of the earth 
should be blessed. 
"So help me the promise, fair sirs," said Isaac, . . . 
" as no such sounds ever crossed my lips ! " 
Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxll. 
To give a lick and a promise of better. See lick. 
= 8yn. L Assurance, Promise, Engagement, Pledfft, Cove- 
nant. These words are arranged In the order of strength ; 
it would be dishonorable to fail to keep what even the 
weakest of them expresses. The formality and solemnity 
of each are proportioned to Its strength. A covenant is a 
mutual obligation ; the others are not Each of them may 
be either spoken or written, but the written Is generally 
more formal, and may hare greater legal obligation, 
promise (prom'is), r.; pret. and pp. promised, 
ppr. promising. [< ME. promysen, promyssen; 
(promise, n.] I. trans. 1. To make a promise 
of; engage to do, give, grant, or procure for 
some one; especially, to engage that some 
benefit shall be conferred. 
Thel 
fitee 
! li> in pnnniineilen that the! iholde kepe well the 
while there life myght endure. 
Merlin (E. F, T. S.), ii. 295. 
I was promised them (ribbons] against the feast 
Shak.,W. T.,lr. 4. 287. 
You said that your Sponsors did prmnue for yon that 
yon should keep God's commandments. 
Book qf Common Prayer, Catechism. 
2. To afford reason to expect: as, the year 
in-iiiHt.il* a good harvest ; the clouds promise 
rain. 
Surely this seemeth a plott of great reason and small 
dlfficultye, which promiseth hope of a shorte end. 
Spenser, State of Ireland. 
Seeing the old castle of the state, 
That promUd once man firmness, so asm*ll'd. 
Cowper, Task, r. 626. 
3. To assure. [Colloq.] 
And what that euer be wlthynne this place, 
That wnlle for the entrete In eny wise, 
He shall not spedc, I yow uroutysw. 
Uenerydes(LK.T. S.X L WOS. 
4768 
I do not like thy look, I prmnue thee. 
Shak., Much Ado, IT. 2. 47. 
I promise you I don't think near so ill of you as I did. 
Sheridan, School for Scandal, ir. 8. 
4. To make as promisor; be the promisor in. 
[Rare trade use.] 
These notes were promised by S. and 8. 
Boston Traveller, Jan. 24, 1880. 
The Promised Land. Same as Land of }*romue (which 
see, under protnue, . ). To be promised ', to hare an en- 
gagement. 
Caaita. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca? 
Catca. No, / am promised forth. Shak., J. C., I. 2. 298. 
= Syn. 1. To assure, engage, covenant See the noun. 
II. nit i-Hti-. 1. To assure one by a promise 
or binding declaration. 
Tho' fickle fortune has deceiv'd me, 
She prumu'd fair, and perform 'd hut ill. 
/.'-;,- I Dream'd I Lay. 
2. To afford hopes or expectations ; give ground 
for expecting satisfactory or agreeable results. 
A ... son of the last Archbishop, who promises very 
greatly. WalpoU, Letters, II. 99. 
The day was named, the weather promised well. 
Mia Kdgeteorth, Helen, xril. 
3. To stand sponsor. [Rare.] 
There were those who knew him near the king 
And promised for him ; and Arthur made him knight 
Ti-iiiujfiin, Pelleas and Ettarre. 
promise-breach (prom'is-brech), n. Failure to 
perform what is promised. [Rare.] 
Since mlserie hath daunted all my mirth, 
And I am quite vndone through promise-breach. 
fiathe. Pierce Penilesse, p. 6. 
In double violation 
Of sacred chastity and of promise-breach 
Thereon dependent Shak., M. for M., v. 1. 410. 
promise-breaker (prom'is-bra'ker), n. One 
who breaks or fails to make good his promises. 
He's a most notable coward, an Infinite and endless liar, 
an hourly promise-oreaker. Shalt., All's Well, iii. 6. 12. 
promise-crammed (prom'is-kramd), a. Cram- 
med or stuffed with promises. [Rare.] 
I eat the air, promise-crammed. Shak., Hamlet, iii. 2. 99. 
promisee (prom-i-se'), n. [< promise + -ee l .~\ 
The person to whom a promise is made. 
Where things promised in a treaty are incompatible, 
the prmnisee may choose which he will demand the per- 
formance of. Woouey, Introd. to Inter. Law, 1 109. 
promiseful (protu'is-ful), a. [< promise + -ful.~\ 
Full of promise; promising. 
So som he wins with prinnue-full intreats, 
With presents som, and som with rougher threats. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du llartas's Weeks, 11., Babylon. 
promisor (prom'i-ser), n. [< promise + -er 1 .] 
One who promises ; one who engages, assures, 
stipulates, or covenants : in legal use promisor. 
He was a subtyle deceiuer, a f aver false promiser. 
Joye, Expos, of Daniel xi. 
Though the expectation which is raised by impertinent 
prominent is thus barren, their confidence, eren after fail- 
ures, Is so great that they subsist by still promising on. 
Steele, Spectator, No. 448. 
promising (prom'i-sing), p. a. [Ppr. of prom- 
ise, .] Giving promise ; affording just expecta- 
tions of good; affording reasonable ground of 
hope for the future ; looking as if likely to turn 
out well: as, a promising youth; a promising 
prospect. 
A course more promising 
Than a wild dedication of youraelve* 
To unpath'd waters, umlream'il shores. 
Shak., W. T., ir. 4. 676. 
promisingly (prom'i-sing-li), ode. [< promis- 
ing + -\ifi.\ In a promising manner, 
promisor (prom'i-sor), n. [< promise + -or*. 
Cf. L. promissor, a promiser.] In fair, one who 
promises. 
promisst, a. ( < L. promissus, hanging down, 
long, pp. of promittcre, send or put forth, let go 
forward, let hang down, etc., see promise, pro- 
mil.'] Hanging down; long. 
I know him by his prmniste beard, 
And l>eetle browes. 
Heyvood, Dialogues (Works, ed. Pearson, 1874, VL 190X 
promissiont (prfi-mish'qn), n. [< ME. promis- 
itioun, < L. promisitio(n-'j, promise, < promittere, 
pp. promissus, promise: see promise. ] Promise. 
The Holy Land, that Men callen the Lend of Pnrmys- 
sioun, or of Behest*. ManderUle, Travels, p. 1. 
Isaac, that was the child of Primisrion, although God 
kept his life that was vnlooked for. 
Vi'r T. More, Cumfort against Tribulation (1573), fol. 37. 
promissive pro-mis'iv), o. [< L. promissims, 
promising. < i>r<niiith'r<; pp. j,ri>missuf, promise: 
see promise.] Making or implying a promise. 
[Rare.] 
promissorily (prom'i-so-ri-li ), mlr. By way of 
promise. Sir T. J!>'nirne. 
promorphological 
promissory (prom'i-so-ri), a. [< L. promimor, 
a promiser, < promittere, pp. promisxnx, prom- 
ise: see III-IIIIII.K .\ Containing a promise, or 
binding declaration of something to be done or 
forborne. 
As the preceptive part enjoins the most exact virtue, so 
Is it most advantageously enforced by the promissory. 
Decay o/ Christian Piety. 
Promissory note, in taw, an absolute promise In writ* 
ing, signed out not sealed, to pay a specified sum at a 
time therein limited, or on demand, or at sight, to a per- 
son therein named or designated, or to his order, or to 
the bearer. Bylct. See negotiable. Promissory oath. 
SeeooJA. 
promitt, f . t. [ME. promytten = OF. promettre, 
prometre, F. promettre = Sp. promeler = It. pro- 
mettere, promise, < L. promittere, send or put 
forth, let go forward, say beforehand, promise, 
< pro, forth, + mittere, send: see mission. Cf. 
admit, commit, permit, etc.] 1. To send forth; 
let go. 
Commaunded hym he sholde promytte and sulfrc the 
seruauntes of almyghty god to passe out of pryson and to 
be at lyberte. Joseph of Arimathie (E. E. T. 8.), p. 32. 
2. To disclose ; make known. 
Promising . . . frank and free pardon of all offences and 
crimes promitted. 
Hall, Chron. Hen. VII. , foL 33. (Encyc. Diet.) 
3. To promise. 
It like, therfore, to my Lord of Gloucestre, and to alle 
the Lordes of the Kinges Counsall, to promitte to the said 
Erie and assure him that thel shul fermely and trewely 
assisten him In the excercise of the charge and occupaclon 
that he hathe aboute the Kiuges persone. 
tters, I. 33. 
promontt, . l< protnont-ory, as if directly < L. 
pro, forth, + mo(t-)*, hill: see mount 1 .] A 
promontory. [Rare.] 
A pr,iinoHl jutting out into the dropping South. 
Drayton, Folyolblon, L 151. 
promontorious(prom-on-t6'ri-u8), . [< prom- 
ontor-y + -ous.] Resembling a promontory; 
high; projecting; conspicuous. 
The ambitious man's mountain is his honour; and who 
dares find fault with so promoHtirrious a cclsitude? 
Rev. T. Adams, Works, II. 497. 
proniontorium (prom-on-to'ri-um), n. ; pi. pro- 
montoria (-a). [ < Li.promonturium, a inouutain- 
ridge, a headland: see promontory.] In anat., 
a promontory. 
promontory (prom'on-ty-ri), Ji. and a. [= F. 
promoiitoire = Sp. Pg. It. promontorio, < ML. 
proniontorium, L. promoiitiirium, promunluri- 
um, a mountain-ridge, a headland, appar. <pro, 
forth, + mon(t-)s, mountain (see mount 1 ), but 
prob. < prominere (pp. as if 'prominitus, *pro- 
mintus, 'promuntus), project, jut out, < pro, 
forth, + 'minere, project, jut, akin to mon(t-)s, 
mountain: 8ee/)roiinf(.] I. n. ; pi. promon- 
tories (-riz). 1. A high point of land or rock 
projecting into the sea beyond the line of coast ; 
a headland. 
Like one that stands upon a promontory, 
And spies a far-olf shore where he would tread. 
Shak., 3 Hen. VI., 111. 2. 135. 
The city Ragusa occupied a peninsula, sheltered on the 
one hand by the mainland, on the other by another prom- 
ontory forming the outer horn of a small bay. 
E. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 23S. 
2. In anat., a prominent or protuberant part ; 
a prominence, eminence, or protuberance, (a) 
Of the sacrum, the bold salient angle between the first 
sacral and last lumbar vertebra, Iwundfng the brim of the 
true pelvis posteriorly, and especially pionounced In man. 
(6) Of the tympanum, a rounded hollow protu Iterance of 
the inner wall of the tympanic carlty, expressing the pro- 
jection of the first whorl of the cochlea. It Is situated be- 
tween the fenestra, and Its surface Is furrowed by branches 
of the tympanic plexus of nerves. 
H.t a. Resembling a promontory; high; pro- 
jecting. 
He found his flockes grailng vpon the Promontorie 
Mountalnes. Greene, Menaphon, p. 23. (Dories.) 
Who sees not that the clambering goats get upon rocks 
and promontory places, whiles the humble sheep feed In 
the bottoms and dejected valleys? 
Rev. T. Adanu, Works, L 428. 
promorph (pro'm&rf ), n. [< Or. irp&, be fore. + 
/lo/Kfa/, form.] In Wo/., a fundamental type of 
form; a form promorpholoKically '-misiileredas 
to its fundamental character, without regard 
to its actual modifications: as, u vertebrate, a 
molluscan, or an articulate prumorph. S<ilnr<, 
XXXIX. 409. 
promorphological (pro-inor-fo-Uij'i-kal), a. [< 
prom<>rph<>lo<j-y + -/'<-/. | I Vrt;iininu r I" pi'"- 
morphology; mathematically or stereninetri- 
nilly morphological. 
The Idea of the antimcre Is omitted, as being essen- 
tially a pnmorphola-jical cuticrption. 
Kncyc. ttril., XVI. H43. 
