What does vouchsafing mean?
Vouchsafing is the present participle of the formal and now rather uncommon verb “vouchsafe.” In its traditional sense, it means to guarantee, warrant, or assure something, especially its safety, validity, or legitimacy. In another established sense, it means to grant or authorize something as a favor, often implying that the grant is deliberate, exceptional, or generous. The word commonly appears in ceremonial, literary, legal, or historical prose: someone may vouchsafe to speak, vouchsafe an explanation to another person, or vouchsafe someone permission. Its old-fashioned register gives it a tone of solemnity and deliberate authorization, making it more evocative than ordinary words such as “allow” or “grant.” Although uncommon in everyday speech, it remains useful because it expresses both assurance and the granting of a concession with a distinctly formal character.
verb (present participle)To guarantee or assure the safety, validity, or legitimacy of something; also, to grant or authorize something as a favor.
- To guarantee or assure the safety, validity, or legitimacy of something.
- To grant or authorize something as a favor, especially with the implication that the action is a concession or special permission.
"The committee vouchsafed to announce the results only after the independent review was complete."
"The old man vouchsafed to explain why he had remained silent for so many years."
"The king vouchsafed the prisoners their lives, though the sentence had already been pronounced."
A ceremonious relic of formal English, vouchsafe once sounded like a guarantee written in a legal contract; today it lends a distinctly old-fashioned air of deliberate authorization.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of vouchsafing
The verb vouchsafe developed in early 17th-century English and is commonly analyzed as a combination of vouch and safe. Vouch comes through Old French from Latin and means to call as a witness or offer one's assurance, while safe means secure from harm. The compound originally conveyed the idea of making something secure or guaranteeing it through a personal assurance. Vouch and voucher are related forms, while safe also underlies words such as safeguard.
Related word forms
How vouchsafing is actually used
Formal, literary, archaic, or legal in tone; it is uncommon in ordinary contemporary English. In the sense of granting something, it is commonly followed by “to” plus an infinitive or by an indirect object followed by a direct object.