witness // witnesses, witnessing, witnessed
 
1 A witness to an event is a person who saw it.
Witnesses to the murder told what they had seen.  COUNT N
 
2 If you witness something, you see it happen; a formal use
At least fifteen people witnessed the attack.  VB WITH OBJ
 
3 A witness is someone who appears in a court of law to say what they know about a crime or other event.
Other witnesses were called to give evidence.  COUNT N
 
4 A witness is also someone who writes their name on a document that you have signed, to confirm that it really is your signature.  COUNT N
 
5 If someone witnesses your signature, they write their name after it, to confirm that it really is your signature.
Now everything is signed and witnessed.  VB WITH OBJ
 
· are witness to
bears witness to
 PHRASE(S)