Other forms: vouchsafed
To vouchsafe is to grant something as a favour. Vouchsafe an answer, vouchsafed no reply, vouchsafe a glance.
It is archaic and faintly sarcastic now — saying somebody vouchsafed a reply suggests they thought themselves grand for giving one. It was two words in Middle English, vouch safe, meaning to warrant as safe.
1verbvouchsafeTo grant something as a favour.
“The old man vouchsafed us a rare smile as we left.”
vouchsafe is a granting.
From vouch plus safe, written as two words in Middle English, meaning to warrant as safe.
From vouch + safe, written as two words in Middle English and early Modern English.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA