promise

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
promise/ˈprɒmɪs/

▶noun

• 1 an assurance that one will do something or that something will happen.

  ■ an indication that something is likely to occur: the promise of spring.

• 2 potential excellence.

▶verb

• 1 make a promise.

  ■ (be promised) archaic be pledged to marry.

• 2 give good grounds for expecting.

• 3 (promise oneself) firmly intend.

– derivatives
promiser noun.

– origin ME: from L. promissum ‘something promised’, neut. past part. of promittere ‘put forth, promise’ (from pro- ‘forward’ + mittere ‘send’).