vow
/vaʊ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.56 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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.
noun
A declaration or assertion.
verb
To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation.
Example Sentences
- "The old hermit, up in the mountains, took a vow of silence."
- "And Moses spake vnto the heads of the tribes, concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. If a man vowe a vow vnto the Lord, or sweare an othe to bind his soule with a bond: he shall not breake his word, hee shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth."
- "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."
- "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."
- "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it."
- "We do not vow that we will never sin, nor neglect a duty (nor ought we to do so)."
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
break-vow
exchange vows
marriage vow
renew one's vows
solemn vow
take vows
vow of celibacy
wedding vow