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forswear Definition

for·swear (fôr swer′)

transitive verb -·swore′-swôr′, -·sworn′, -·swear′·ing

  1. to renounce on oath; promise earnestly to give up
  2. to deny earnestly or on oath

Etymology: ME forswerien < OE forswerian: see for- & swear

intransitive verb

to swear falsely; commit perjury

forswear Idioms

forswear oneself

to swear falsely; perjure oneself

forswear Synonyms

forswear

v.

abjure, renounce, repudiate, retract; see abandon 1, deny.

forswear Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • not: In 1692 40 of the resident MacDonald clan were massacred in cold blood by the Campbells for not forswearing the Jacobite cause.

Browse dictionary entries near forswear

  1. ‹ Forster
  2. ‹ forspent
  3. ‹ forsooth
  4. ‹ forsook
  5. ‹ forsaken
  6. ‹ forsake
  7. ‹ fornix
  8. ‹ fornication
  9. ‹ fornicate
  10. ‹ Fornax
  1. forswear oneself ›
  2. forsworn ›
  3. forsythia ›
  4. fort ›
  5. Fort Collins ›
  6. Fort-de-France ›
  7. Fort Knox ›
  8. Fort Lauderdale ›
  9. Fort McHenry ›
  10. Fort Smith ›