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Chris -- 2018-04-11
My mother vouches that it always settles her nerves!
She vouched that she would not drain her energy by crying.
When Buckley announced his candidacy for Mayor of Annapolis, he vouched that he’d serve the city’s residents in bipartisan fashion
He vouched that the bank will continue to support activities that provide services to society and to women.
When he left the country he vouched to himself that he would get revenge
I lost my temper and vouched to return with your uncle
“Vow(ed)” is the word I would expect in these contexts; “vouch” sounds rather similar, though, and they share rather prominently the idea that the person vowing or vouching is putting his or her integrity and/or credibility on the line, guaranteeing that something will happen (because he or she will do it) or that some fact is true, or that someone or something is trustworthy. When you make a vow you are vouching for the possibility (the fact?) that X will happen, that you in fact will make it happen.
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Similar, but a little different:
she vouched to herself to never read that letter again
“Vowed to herself” or “promised herself”, I suppose.
A little more different:
to have a wife, a companion who understood me. But she is not. I vouched to her that she could never be.
“Vouchsafed” ? Vowed to/promised her that she could not be a wife or companion at all?
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You often vow where there is the probability that it will be uncomfortable until you are proved right, or that you will have to suffer before you have fulfilled your vow. Some vows even call down suffering (from the powers) if the vowers should break their promise. I wonder if the word ouch might somehow affect things for some?
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It occurs backwards too:
Buhari’s integrity is not in doubt by me but I cannot vow for his competence and maturity in handling complex economic situations.
Recently they had (among other styles) a blond horn/ebony handle, with a metal spacer. I cannot vow for the quality but it looked good.
It is said that you cannot vow for the integrity of the ad-hoc staff, so there is what is called team integrity.
This is fun and at least slightly relevant.
Last edited by DavidTuggy (2023-09-23 19:36:02)
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
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