promise: [14] Latin prōmittere originally meant simply ‘send forth’ (it was a compound verb formed from the prefix prō- ‘forward’ and mittere ‘send’, source of English mission, missile, transmit, etc). But it soon evolved metaphorically via ‘say in advance, foretell’ to ‘cause to expect’ and hence ‘promise’ – the sense adopted into English via its past participle prōmissum. => admit, commit, missile, mission, submit, transmit
promise (n.)
c. 1400, "a pledge, vow," from Old French promesse "promise, guarantee, assurance" (13c.) and directly from Latin promissum "a promise," noun use of neuter past participle of promittere "send forth; let go; foretell; assure beforehand, promise," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + mittere "to put, send" (see mission). The ground sense is "declaration made about the future, about some act to be done or not done."
promise (v.)
c. 1400, from promise (n.). Related: Promised; promising. Promised land (1530s) is a reference to the land of Canaan promised to Abraham and his progeny (Hebrew xi:9, etc.; Greek ten ges tes epangelias).
双语例句
1. The boy first showed promise as an athlete in grade school.
这个男孩在上小学的时候就初次显示出成为运动员的潜力。
来自柯林斯例句
2. I'm hoping you'll keep your promise to come for a long visit.
我希望你遵守诺言来这儿多呆几天。
来自柯林斯例句
3. President Kaunda fulfilled his promise of announcing a date for the referendum.
卡翁达总统兑现了他的承诺，宣布了全民公决的日期。
来自柯林斯例句
4. This approach, more than any other, holds promise for true reform.
这一方法比其他任何方法都更让人看到真正改革的希望。
来自柯林斯例句
5. This will all come out in the wash—I promise you.
