vouchsafe

Everyday

1. (formal, old) To give or tell something kindly, as a favour, or as if from a high position: he vouchsafed no answer. tree →
2. (church, old prayers) To grant: «Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.» tree →

In the lessons

An old and formal word met in classic books and old prayers. In stories it often appears with «no»: «she vouchsafed no reply» means she gave no answer at all, often proudly. In Alice in Wonderland the Caterpillar hardly vouchsafes Alice any answers. Old Anglican prayers like the Te Deum use it for God granting things.

Examples

• The Caterpillar vouchsafed no reply. tree →
• He vouchsafed only a nod. tree →
• «Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.» tree →
• She did not vouchsafe a single word about her trip. tree →
• The king vouchsafed his blessing. tree →
• The cat vouchsafed us one glance and walked away. tree →
• Sometimes they wrote letters to the Princess, but no answer was vouchsafed to them. tree →

Note

Regular verb, formal and old. Say vouch-SAFE. In modern speech say «give» or «tell».

In Jewish tradition

An old and formal word met in classic books and old prayers. In stories it often appears with «no»: «she vouchsafed no reply» means she gave no answer at all, often proudly. In Alice in Wonderland the Caterpillar hardly vouchsafes Alice any answers. Old Anglican prayers like the Te Deum use it for God granting things.

Note

Regular verb, formal and old. Say vouch-SAFE. In modern speech say «give» or «tell».