Vow
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order.
"The old hermit, up in the mountains, took a vow of silence."
- 2 a solemn pledge (to oneself or to another or to a deity) to do something or to behave in a certain manner wordnet
- 3 A declaration or assertion.
"Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself."
- 4 A votive offering. obsolete
"There are also waxen vows, that represent other parts of the body mixed with them; but of these there are few in comparison of the number of the Priapi."
- 1 To make a vow; to promise. ambitransitive
"When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it."
- 2 make a vow; promise wordnet
- 3 To make a vow regarding (something). transitive
"The wronged woman vowed revenge."
- 4 dedicate to a deity by a vow wordnet
- 5 To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation.
"The rebels vowed to continue their fight."
Example
More examples"With every broken vow, you bring our ideal closer to destruction."
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English vowe, voue, that from Old French vut, in turn from Latin vōtum (“a promise, dedication, vow”), from vovēre (“to promise, vow”). Not related to avow. Doublet of vote.
Related phrases
More for "vow"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.