“Vows” is a form of
vow
/vaʊ/ noun, verb
Forms vows vowing vowed
- 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. “The old hermit, up in the mountains, took a vow of silence.”
- noun A declaration or assertion.
- noun (obsolete) A votive offering.
- verb (ambitransitive) To make a vow; to promise.
- verb (transitive) To make a vow regarding (something). “The wronged woman vowed revenge.”
- verb To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation. “The rebels vowed to continue their fight.”
Synonyms
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.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A solemn promise made to God, or to some deity; an act by which one consecrates or devotes himself, absolutely or conditionally, wholly or in part, for a longer or shorter time, to some act, service, or condition; a devotion of one's possessions; as, a baptismal vow; a vow of poverty. "Nothing . . . that may . . . stain my vow of Nazarite." Milton.
- noun Specifically, a promise of fidelity; a pledge of love or affection; as, the marriage vow. Knights of love, who never broke their vow; Firm to their plighted faith. Dryden.
- verb To give, consecrate, or dedicate to God, or to some deity, by a solemn promise; to devote; to promise solemnly. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it." Eccl. v. 4.
- verb To assert solemnly; to asseverate.
Etymology [OE. vou, OF. vou, veu, vo, vu, F. v, from L. votum, from vovere, to vow. Cf. Avow, Devout, Vote.]
Etymology [OE. vouen, OF. vouer, voer, F. vouer, LL. votare. See Vow, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “vow”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details