witness
noun [ C ] uk/ˈwɪt.nəs/ us/ˈwɪt.nəs/
(SEE)
B2 （尤指犯罪或事故的）目击者
a person who sees an event happening, especially a crime or an accident
Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident to come forward. 警方呼吁那场事故的目击者站出来。
According to (eye) witnesses, the robbery was carried out by two teenage boys. 据目击者说，抢劫案是两个十几岁的少年干的。
be witness to something 看到;目睹
to see something happen
She was witness to the tragic event. 她目睹了这一悲剧。
见证人;连署人
someone who is asked to be present at a particular event and sign their name in order to prove that things have been done correctly
He signed the treaty in the presence of two witnesses. 他在两位见证人面前签署了条约。
They were married a year after they first met, with two friends acting as witnesses. 初次见面一年之后，他们在两位朋友的见证之下结婚了。
- More examples
- If you haven't got a witness, you haven't got a leg to stand on.
- One by one the witnesses narrated the sequence of events which led up to the disaster.
- The document was signed in the presence of two witnesses.
- New witnesses have cast doubt on some of the evidence that sent the 19 year old to the gallows.
- She bore witness to his patience and diligence.
(LAW)
（法庭上的）证人
a person in a law court who says what they know about a legal case or a particular person
Ten witnesses are expected to testify at the trial today. 在今天的审判中，将有两名证人出庭作证。
The key witness for the prosecution was offered police protection after she received death threats. 原告的关键证人在受到死亡恐吓后得到了警方的保护。
expert witness 专家证人
a person who is allowed to give their opinion in a law court because of their knowledge or practical experience of a particular subject
A psychiatrist was called as an expert witness for the defence. 一位精神病医生作为被告的专家证人被传作证。
Idiom
bear witness (to something)idiom 见证了（…）；证明了（…）
If something bears witness to a fact, it proves that it is true.
The numerous awards on the walls bear witness to his great success. 墙上数不清的奖状证明了他的巨大成功。
As last week's riots bear witness, the political situation is very unstable. 上周的暴乱证明了政治局势非常不稳定。
witness
verb [ T ] uk/ˈwɪt.nəs/ us/ˈwɪt.nəs/
(BE PRESENT)
B2 目击，看到（尤指事故或犯罪）
to see something happen, especially an accident or crime
Did anyone witness the attack? 有人看到那次袭击了吗？
They were staying in the capital at the time of the riots and witnessed several street battles. 暴乱期间他们在首都，目击了好几起巷战。
[ + -ing verb ] He arrived home just in time to witness his brother being taken away by the police. 他到家时正好看到他兄弟被警察带走。
为…签名作证；连署
to be present at an event and to sign your name as proof that it happened or that it was done correctly
Her will was witnessed by two colleagues. 她的遗嘱由两名同事签名作证。
- More examples
- I've never witnessed such extremes of wealth and poverty.
- Recent years have witnessed a growth in religious fundamentalism.
- What we are witnessing is the country's slow slide into anarchy.
- His face registered extreme disapproval of what he had witnessed.
- It was a terrible thing to witness.
(HAPPEN)
formal是发生…的地点（或时间）
When a place or period witnesses a particular event, the event happens in that place or during that period.
This university has witnessed quite a few changes over the years. 这所大学多年来经历过很多变革。
Those years witnessed momentous changes throughout Europe. 那些年间整个欧洲都发生了重大的变化。
(SHOW)
证明；表明
to show or give proof of something
This year's charity ball was the most successful one ever, as witnessed by the number of tickets sold. 今年的慈善舞会是最为成功的一次，这可以从售出门票的数量上看出来。
The programme aroused strong feelings - witness the number of letters received. 这个节目激起了强烈的反响——来信的数量便是明证。
Phrasal verb
witness to something （尤指在法庭上）作证，证明…是真实的
to say publicly, especially in a law court, that something is true or that it happened
A handwriting expert witnessed to the authenticity of the letter. 笔迹专家证明了这封信不是伪造的。
[ + -ing verb ] She witnessed to having seen the robbery take place. 她作证说目睹了抢劫的过程。