The word "attest" (transcribed as /əˈtɛst/) is spelled with two consonants at the beginning "at" and "t", followed by two vowels "e" and "s", and ending with the consonant "t". The "a" is pronounced as the schwa sound /ə/, while the "e" is pronounced as the short e sound /ɛ/. The two identical consonant sounds at the beginning and end of the word create emphasis on the central vowels. "Attest" means to provide evidence or bear witness to something.
To attest means to declare the truth or existence of something, typically based on personal knowledge or experience. It involves providing evidence or testimony to support a claim or verify the accuracy of a statement. Attestation also refers to the act of indicating one's agreement, approval, or support for something.
As a verb, attesting implies giving a sworn statement or affirming that a particular fact or event is true and accurate. For example, a witness may attest to the authenticity of a document by signing it or testifying in court.
In a broader sense, attesting can also refer to confirming or validating the quality, authenticity, or compliance of something. This could involve certifying the accuracy of financial records, validating an individual's professional skills with a certificate, or verifying the conformity of a product with established standards.
The act of attesting may also involve an official or formal process. This can include obtaining witnesses or legal documentation to substantiate a claim or request. For instance, in the context of wills or contracts, attesting witnesses are often required to sign the document to ensure its validity.
Overall, to attest encompasses the idea of offering evidence, testifying, or providing confirmation to establish the truth, accuracy, or credibility of something. It indicates an act of authentication, verification, or endorsement through personal knowledge, experience, or supporting documentation.
To certify; to bear witness to; to affirm solemnly in words or writing.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word attest derives from the Latin word attestari, which consists of the prefix ad- meaning to or towards, and the verb testari meaning to testify or to bear witness. The Latin testari comes from testis, which translates to witness. Therefore, attest essentially means to bear witness or to testify to the truth of something.