promesses

Promesses is the French plural form of promesse, and in general refers to commitments or assurances given by one party to another. A promise is a declaration that a person intends to perform a future action or to refrain from it, and it can be conveyed explicitly or inferred from conduct. The term originates from Latin promissum, through Old French promesse, and has wide usage in everyday language as well as in legal and ethical contexts.

In ordinary use, promises coordinate expectations and trust. They can be explicit, such as a statement like “I will help you tomorrow,” or implicit, arising from patterns of behavior or social norms. Not all promises carry legal weight; many function as moral or social commitments whose breach damages trust rather than triggering formal remedies. Breaches can affect credibility and social capital even when no formal sanction exists.

In law, certain promises give rise to enforceable obligations. The doctrine of promissory estoppel prevents a party from denying a promise when another party reasonably relies on it to their detriment. In civil law jurisdictions there are unilateral promises to contract (promesse unilatérale de contract) that can bind the promisor to enter into a future agreement under specified conditions. Common contractual uses include promesse de vente (promise to sell) and promesse d’embauche (offer of employment). In finance, writings such as promesse de payer or promissory notes express a formal promise to repay a sum of money.

Across cultures and disciplines, promesses intersect with ethics, trust, consent, and legal obligation, illustrating the balance between voluntary commitment and enforceable duty.