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Testify

Defined in 6 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914), Black's (1910), Kinney (1893), Anderson (1889)

The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary

Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922

To give evidence according to law; the examination of a witness who declares his knowledge of facts.

Ballentine's Law Dictionary

James A. Ballentine · 1916

To give testimony under oath as a witness.

Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia

John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914

To give evidence according to law.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

To bear witness; to give evi-denco as -a witness; to make a solemn declaration, under oath or affirmation, in a judicial inquiry, for the purpose of establishing or proving some fact See Sinte v. Kobert-son, 26 S. C. 117, 1 S. E. 448; Gannon v. Stevens, 13 Kan. 459; Nash v. Hoxie, 59 Wis. 384, 18 N. W. 408; O'Brien v. State, 125 Ind. 38, 25 N. E. 137, 9 L. R. A. 323; Mudge v. Gilbert, 43 How. Prae. (N. Y.) 221.

A Law Dictionary and Glossary

George C. Kinney · 1893

To bear witness; to declare under oath or affirmation for the purpose of proving some fact

A Dictionary of Law

William C. Anderson · 1889

To bear witness to; to give testimony in a judicial inquiry. See Testis. Testimony. A witnessing: the declaration of a witness as to a fact; a statement in evidence made by a witness; whatever is admitted as evidentiary of the truth in a cause, whether competent or incompetent as proof, and inclusive of writings and records of all kinds. " Testimony " is the statement or declaration of a witness; it is merely a species or class of "evidence."' Evidence Includes all testimony, while testimony does not include all evidence. Testimony may not be evidence.' Testimony consists in what is not proved as well as in what is proved. When the act of withholding testimony raises a violent presumption that *•■ fact not clearly proved or disproved exists, the court may allude to the act as a circumstance strengthening the proof.' A bill to " perpetuate testimony " is a bill filed in a court of equity to preserve testimony in danger of being lost, before the matter to which it relates can be made the subject of judicial investigation; as, the testimony of an aged or sick person about to move out of the jurisdiction. The testimony may respect a title or claim to realty or personalty, and be used to support an action or a defense. Analogous are bills to " take testimony de bene esse" and bills to take the testimony of persons resident abroad, to be used in suits actually pending.' See further Deposition; Discovert, 3, 6; Evidence; Perpetuate; Stenoorapheb; Witness.