affy

present singular third person affies · participle present affying · participle past affied · past affied

1. obsoletetransitiveTo have faith in (someone); to trust.
2. obsoletetransitiveChiefly followed by that or to: to formally affirm or promise (something).
3. obsoletetransitiveChiefly of a man: to formally promise to marry (someone, chiefly a woman); to be engaged to; also, to marry (someone); to espouse.First known use c. 16th–17th c.

   He, though affide unto a former love, / To whom his faith he firmely ment to hold, / […] Her graunted love, but with affection cold […]

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

4. obsoletetransitivechiefly passive voiceChiefly followed by to, unto, or with: often of a parent or guardian: to formally promise that (someone) be married to another person; to affiance, to betroth.
5. figurativelyobsoletetransitiveFollowed by in, to, or unto: to bind or pledge (someone or something) to another person or thing.
6. intransitiveobsoleteChiefly followed by in, on, and upon: to rely on, to trust.First known use 14th–17th c.

   Marcus Andronicus, so I do affie / In thy vprightnesse and Integrity […]

   c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

plural affies

1. obsoleteslangAn affidavit to be signed by a contest winner to confirm eligibility.

   The contest ended in mid November, I got the affy Christmas eve, and I picked up the car February 4th or 5th.

   1999, Suzy, “Any BIG winners?”, in alt.consumers.sweepstakes (Usenet)

   1 more example

   If you have won a monthly prize, they will send you an affy and have you send it back. Then your prize comes from a courier.

   1997, Sandretto, “Singapore Contest....”, in alt.consumers.sweepstakes (Usenet)