evidence
/ˈɛvɪd(ə)ns
/noun [mass noun]
1The available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid: the study finds little evidence of overt discrimination...
- This pattern is consistent within the whole body of evidence in the present study.
- The evidence now questions whether the grounds on which we went to war were right.
- Insufficient evidence is available to judge whether this relation is cause and effect.
1.1 Law Information drawn from personal testimony, a document, or a material object, used to establish facts in a legal investigation or admissible as testimony in a law court: without evidence, they can’t bring a charge...
- He is entitled by law to call evidence and to be represented by counsel at such a hearing.
- For the Crown it is argued that this evidence was admissible but not as evidence of similar facts.
- In the absence of such evidence we see no need for the Attorney General to lead evidence in rebuttal.
Synonyms
testimony, statement, sworn statement, attestation, declaration, avowal, plea, submission, claim, contention, charge, allegation;
Law deposition, representation, affidavit
rare asseveration, averment
1.2Signs or indications of something: there was no obvious evidence of a break-in...
- Subtle evidences are indications of the trend to suppress public display of Christianity in favor of other religions, paganism, or simply anti-Christian sentiment.
- The end of the twentieth century also brought evidences of decline, marked by ephemera, bombastic spectacle, revivals from better times, and periodic infusions of life from Europe and England.
- These evidences indicated that houseflies could be used as a model system, with the possible wider application of alleviating symptoms of aging in human subjects.
Synonyms
signs, indications, pointers, marks, traces, suggestions, hints;
manifestation
verb [with object]
Be or show evidence of: the quality of the bracelet, as evidenced by the workmanship, is exceptional...
- The author herself was visibly moved by the goodwill and support that was evidenced by the large crowd.
- This was evidenced in the cohesive and selfless display against Rangers.
- The question of player responsiveness to virtual game environments has long been a thorny one, with many contributions to the debate evidencing fears and anxieties about the perceived powers of (new games) technology.
Synonyms
indicate, show, reveal, be evidence of, display, exhibit, manifest, denote, evince, signify;
testify to, attest to, verify, confirm, prove, substantiate, endorse, back up, support, bear out, give credence to
Phrases
call someone in evidence
give evidence
in evidence
turn King's (or Queen's or state's) evidence
Origin
Middle English: via Old French from Latin evidentia, from evident- 'obvious to the eye or mind' (see evident).
This came via Old French from Latin evidentia, from evident- meaning ‘obvious to the eye or mind’, from e- (a variant of ex-) ‘out’ and videre ‘to see’. This also gives us evident (Late Middle English).