1. (a.) In general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act.

2. (n.) An engagement by one person to another, either in words or in writing, but properly not under seal, for the performance or nonperformance of some particular thing. The word promise is used to denote the mere engagement of a person, without regard to the consideration for it, or the corresponding duty of the party to whom it is made.

3. (a.) That which causes hope, expectation, or assurance; especially, that which affords expectation of future distinction; as, a youth of great promise.

4. (a.) Bestowal, fulfillment, or grant of what is promised.

5. (v. t.) To engage to do, give, make, or to refrain from doing, giving, or making, or the like; to covenant; to engage; as, to promise a visit; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money.

6. (v. t.) To afford reason to expect; to cause hope or assurance of; as, the clouds promise rain.

7. (v. t.) To make declaration of or give assurance of, as some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow; as, the proprietors promised large tracts of land; the city promised a reward.

8. (v. i.) To give assurance by a promise, or binding declaration.

9. (v. i.) To afford hopes or expectation; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil.

accede accord actuarial prediction adumbration afford hope agree agree to agreement apocalypse arrangement aspiration assent assumption assurance assure assured faith augur augur well augury auspice avouch bargain bargain for be promising bespeak betoken betokening betokenment bid fair bid fair to binding agreement bond capability cartel cheer cheerful expectation collective agreement commitment compact confidence consent consortium contract convention conviction countersign covenant covenant of salt deal dependence desire dicker do a deal doomed hope earnest employment contract engage engagement ensure expectation fair prospect faith fervent hope foreboding forecast forecasting foreshadow foreshadowing foreshowing foresight foretell foretelling foretoken foretokening formal agreement give hope give indication of give prospect of good cheer good hope great expectations guarantee guaranty guesswork have favorable odds have good prospects high hopes hint hint at hold out hope hold out promise hope hopeful prognosis hopefulness hopes hoping hoping against hope imply improbability increase the chances indicant indicate indication inspire inspire hope inspirit insure ironclad agreement justify hope legal agreement legal contract likelihood look like make a deal make a promise make fair promise make likely make more likely make probable mutual agreement oath offer the expectation omen pact paction pass pawn pledge plight portent potential prayerful hope prediction prefiguration prefigurement prefiguring preindication premonitory shiver premonitory sign premonitory symptom presage presaging presentiment preshowing presignifying presumption probability probabilize prognosis prognostic prognostication prophecy prophesying prospect prospects prospectus protocol raise expectation raise expectations raise hope reassure reliance sanguine expectation security seem likely shadow show a tendency show signs of sign soothsay speculation stand fair to statistical prediction stipulate stipulation suggest support swear token tokening transaction troth trust type understanding undertake undertaking underwrite union contract valid contract vaticination vouch vow wage contract warrant warranty well-grounded hope word word of honor