1. vt. & vi.允诺；答应　 undertake to do
2. vi. & vt.有…希望；预示　 give cause for expecting

　～ a dance (to sb)　答应（与某人）跳舞
　～ help　答应帮助
　～ oneself sth　指望获得某物，决心弄到某物
　～ rain　有希望下雨
　～ students a day's holiday　答应放学生一天假
　～ the moon　答应办做不到的事
　always ～　总是许诺
　never ～　从不许诺
　～ well　显示出成功的迹象，前景很好
　～ blandly　平和地允诺
　～ blithely　快乐地允诺
　～ casually　非正式地允诺
　～ cautiously　谨慎地允诺
　～ cheerfully　高兴地允诺
　～ definitely　肯定地允诺
　～ devoutly　真诚地允诺
　～ generously　慷慨地允诺
　～ faithfully　忠诚地允诺
　～ flatteringly　奉承地允诺
　～ frankly　真诚地允诺
　～ freely　随意地允诺
　～ graciously　有礼貌地允诺
　～ lightly　轻率地允诺
　～ optimistically　乐观地允诺
　～ publicly　公开允诺
　～ recklessly　轻率地允诺
　～ reluctantly　不情愿地允诺
　～ solemnly　庄严地允诺
　～ treacherously　不可靠地允诺
　～ unconditionally　无条件地允诺
　～ unquestionably　毫无疑问地允诺
　～ unwillingly　勉强地允诺
　～ usually　经常允诺
　～ vehemently　强烈地允诺
　～ away　答应送掉
　～ on sb's honour　以名誉保证，与…订婚
　～ to　答应与…做某事

　I can't promise.　我不能答应。
　I must phone your sister as I promised.　我得给你姐姐打个电话，我说了给她打的。
　The business promises well.　生意看来很兴隆。
　David promises well as an actor.　作为演员，大卫很有希望成功。
　He's engaged in a research that promised well.　他正忙于一项很有前途的科研项目。
　The rains have been plentiful and the crops promise well.　雨水充沛，庄稼长势很好。
　I think our teaching plan promises well.　我认为我们的教学计划不赖。
　From what little I've seen of your book so far, I would say that it promises well.　仅就迄今我所见到的有关你这本书的情况来看，我敢说你的书很可能会受到读者的欢迎。
　I want you to promise me.　我想让你对我作出承诺。
　It is not that easy;I promise you.　我向你保证，事情并非那么容易。
　I don't remember I ever promised that.　我记不得我答应过这件事。
　The school authorities promised an immediate reply.　学校领导答应立即答复。
　The weather promises rich harvest.　天气晴朗，丰收在望。
　The clear sky promises fine weather.　天空晴朗无云，看来天气会很好。
　After trying all kinds of ways we hit upon a method that promised more success.　在尝试了各种办法以后，我们终于找到了一种成功希望较大的方法。
　I can't promise the moon, but I'll do the best job I can.　我不能答应我办不到的事情，不过我要尽力去办。
　A politician who promises the moon during a campaign loses the voters' respect.　从政者在竞选中乱作承诺会失去选民的尊重。
　We promised to bring them to the circus.　我们答应过带他们去看马戏。
　I promise to return your bicycle in good condition.　我答应完好无损地还你的自行车。
　He promised to help the people improve their livelihood.　他答应帮助人民改善生活。
　She promised to be a brilliant musician.　有迹象表明她会成为出色的音乐家。
　Autumn crops promised to be equally good.　秋季作物看来收成也会同样很好。
　It promises to be warm this afternoon.　今天下午可望转暖。
　It promises to be fine tomorrow.　明天可望晴朗。
　I promised that I would write regularly.　我答应我要经常写信。
　I promised that I would come here on time.　我答应准时来这里。
　I soothed him by promising that he could return home in a week or two.　我安慰他，答应他可以在一两周内回家。
　He promised that the roof should be repaired within two weeks.　他许诺房顶在两周内修好。
　The government has promised that taxes will not be put up again this year.　政府已经许诺今年不再增加税收。
　I want you to promise me one thing.　我要你答应我一件事。
　Mr. Priestly promised his students a holiday.　普里斯特利先生答应给学生放假一天。
　Mr. Green has promised his son a new bicycle if he passes the examination.　格林先生答应如果儿子考试及格，就给他买辆新自行车。
　I've promised the next dance to Jim.　我已答应下一场和吉姆跳舞。
　I can't give you the book; I've promised it to Susan.　我不能把这本书送给你，因为我已经答应把它送给苏珊了。
　This new watch was promised to me.　这只新手表已经答应卖给我了。
　I'm sorry; that house has been promised to some other young man.　对不起，那间房子已答应租给别的年轻人了。
　You must promise me to take a thorough rest.　你一定要答应我彻底休息一下。
　He promised me to sing here.　他答应我他在这里唱歌。
　She promised me to try her best to help him.　她向我保证要尽力帮助他。
　She promised me not to forget to call on my mother.　她答应我她不会忘记拜访我母亲。
　I had promised Nancy to attend the lecture.　我已答应南希参加演讲。
　I promised Mrs. Neil that I could stop in at her home today.　我答应内尔夫人今天我去拜访她。
　He promised me that the work should be finished before evening.　他许诺说，这工作要在晚上之前做完。

 ♣ promise away　(v.+adv.)
　答应送掉　give away by promising
　He has promised most of his books away to his friends.　他已答应把他大部分书籍送给他的朋友们。
　He has promised most of the money away to various people.　他已答应把这笔钱的一大部分送给了各种人。

 ♣ promise, allow
　参见allow条。
 ♣ promise, consent
　这两个词都有“答应”的意思。其区别是：promise是“自己主动答应”这一概念，含有自觉主动的意味；而consent则是“答应人家的要求”，含有被动的意味。试比较：
　
 ♣ promise, contract, covenant, engage, pledge
　这组词都有“允诺”的意思。其区别是：promise指作出口头或书面的许诺，但仅指主观意愿，并不暗示一定能实现或有实现的基础；engage指在正式或重大场合用誓言、条约等许下有约束力的诺言或作出可以信赖的保证，尤指订婚；pledge指用行动或言语作出庄严的许诺或正式保证；covenant指订立双方或多方共同遵守的协议；contract指订立慎重并且通常有法律效力的合同或协议。例如：
　Our son is engaged to a nice young girl.　我们的儿子已跟一位漂亮的女孩订了婚。
　I covenant to pay 5000 pounds a year to help rebuild the college.　我立约保证每年将付5000英镑帮助重建学院。
　They have pledged that any detail given to them will remain confidential.　他们已保证，给他们提供的任何细节将予以保密。
　Many councils are contracting out services such as rubbish collection to private companies as a way of cutting costs.　许多市政会把垃圾收集这样的服务项目包给私人公司以减少费用。
 ♣ promise, keep one's word
　这两者均含有“许诺”之意。其区别是：promise指“许诺”，只指意图，而不指义务，只指美好的愿望，不指坏的意图；keep one's word则指作出promise后遵守自己的诺言。例如：
　He promised to come and see me today, but he failed to keep his word.　他答应今天来看我，但他没能守约。
　I'll keep my word;I'll tell him everything.　我将遵守诺言，把一切告诉他。
 ♣ promise, permit
　参见permit条。
 ♣ 下面三句意思相同：
　

　看来这是一项困难的任务。
　［误］ It promised difficult job.
　［正］ It promised to be a difficult job.
　［析］ 表示“有希望，有可能”， promise后接不定式时常限于to be...。

1. C 承诺，诺言　 a statement, which sb else has right to believe and depend on, that one will or will not do sth, give sth, etc.
2. U 希望，出息　 expectation or signs of future success, good results, etc.

　abide by ～　遵守诺言
　betray ～　背叛诺言
　break ～　违背诺言
　carry out ～　履行诺言
　claim ～　履行诺言
　find much of ～　发现很有希望
　fulfill ～　遵守诺言
　give ～　答应，作出诺言，保证
　give ～ for future　预示将来成功
　give ～ of　有…的希望
　give ～ to　向…许诺
　go back on ～　收回诺言，违背诺言
　hold ～ of　抱有…的希望
　hold some ～ of success　有希望获得成功
　keep (to) ～　信守诺言
　make ～　作出诺言，保证
　make ～ of　许下…的诺言
　make ～ to　向…许诺
　obtain ～　获得保证
　secure ～　获得保证
　show ～　有希望
　show ～ as pianist　有希望成为钢琴家
　stand to ～　守约
　violate ～　违背诺言
　withdraw ～　取消诺言，收回许诺
　bright ～　有希望的诺言
　brilliant ～　出色的诺言
　broken ～　违背了的诺言
　campaign ～　竞选时的诺言
　cheerful ～　欣然的许诺
　cheering ～　欣然的许诺
　conservative ～　保守的诺言
　considerable ～　重要的许诺
　deceiving ～　虚假的诺言
　definite ～　明确的许诺
　doubtful ～　含糊的许诺
　drunken ～　醉后的诺言
　earnest ～　真诚的诺言
　empty ～　空洞的诺言
　express ～　确切的诺言
　fair ～　好听的诺言
　faithful ～　忠实的诺言
　false ～　虚伪的诺言
　golden ～　重要的诺言
　good ～　好的诺言
　great ～　很大的希望
　implied ～　含蓄的诺言，默许
　irresponsible ～　不负责任的诺言
　sacred ～　神圣的诺言
　solemn ～　庄严的承诺
　verbal ～　口头保证
　written ～　书面保证
　according to ～　根据诺言
　boy in ～　孩子有出息
　boxer of ～　有前途的拳击手
　youth full of ～　有希望的青年
　on ～ of secrecy　按照保守秘密的诺言
　through verbal ～　通过口头保证
　under ～　立誓
　person with great ～　有出息的人
　～ for good crops　有希望获得好收成
　～ of help　允予援助
　～ of secrecy　保守秘密的诺言

　I should not have believed the promise of the boss.　我本不该相信老板的许诺的。
　He tried to put me off with a vague promise.　他企图以含糊的许诺来敷衍我。
　It's clear that what he said was a hollow promise.　很明显他许下的是不兑现的诺言。
　I'd like to come with you but that's not a promise; don't rely on it.　我愿意和你一起去，但这不是允诺，别指望我一定去。
　They drew the poor child on with false promises.　他们以虚假的许诺来鼓动那个可怜的孩子。
　We shall judge you by your actions, not by your promises.　我们将根据你的行动，而不是你的诺言来评价你。
　Don't build your hopes on the chairman's promises.　别把你的希望寄托在主席的诺言上。
　The politician's actions do not consist with the promises in his speeches.　那位政客的行为与他在演说里所作的承诺不符。
　The news of the war brings little promise of peace.　战争的消息几乎没有给和平带来希望。
　My son is showing great promise as a cricketer.　我的儿子有成为一名板球手的希望。
　You show promise as a musician but your lack of practice is keeping you back.　你有希望成为音乐家，但是缺乏实践，影响你的发展。
　They failed to fulfil their promises to revive the economy.　他们没能实现使经济复苏的诺言。
　My promise to lend you 50 dollars still holds true.　我要借给你50美元的承诺仍然不变。
　We shall always keep our promise not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.　我们将始终遵守不干涉别国内政的诺言。
　We must have your promise that you will keep it to yourself.　你必须答应我们你会保守秘密。
　The politicians are bidding for our favour by making wild promises that they can't keep.　政治家们为获取人们的支持而漫天许愿。
　Despite their promise that they would bring down the prices, prices have gone on rising.　尽管他们许下了降低物价的诺言，物价还是继续上涨。

 ♣ break one's promise
　食言；不守诺言　fail to keep a promise
　I'm sorry that I broke my promise.　对不起，我食言了。
　Stock broke his promise and refused to help us after all.　斯托克违背自己的许诺，终究拒绝帮助我们。
　If you make a promise you should keep it;you ought not to break a promise.　你如果作出允诺，就得守诺言，不应该违背诺言。
　Now that they have broken their promises, we must not rely on their promises any more.　既然他们已经食言，我们再也不能相信他们的诺言。

1. 她有希望成为钢琴家。
　［误］ She shows great promises as a pianist.
　［正］ She shows great promise as a pianist.
　［析］ promise作“希望”“前途”解时是不可数名词，后面不应该加s.
2. 她答应帮助我。
　［误］ She gave me the promise of helping me.
　［正］ She gave me the promise to help me.
　［析］ 表示“答应某人做某事”可说give sb a promise to-v，在promise后须用动词不定式，不能用"of+动名词”结构。

　［同义词］ v. covenant, ensure, pledge, swear n. assurance, pledge
　［词源］　拉丁语promissum（允诺，保证）