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swear definition

swear (swer)

intransitive verb swore, sworn, swearing swear′·ing

  1. to make a solemn declaration with an appeal to God or to something held sacred for confirmation to swear on one's honor
  2. to make a solemn promise; vow
  3. to use profane or obscene language; curse
  4. Law to give evidence under oath

Etymology: ME swerien < OE swerian, akin to Ger schwören < IE base *swer-, to speak > OSlav svariti, to revile

transitive verb

  1. to declare solemnly in the name of God or of something held sacred
  2. to pledge or vow on oath
  3. to assert or promise with great conviction or emphasis
  4. to take (an oath) by swearing
  5. to administer a legal oath to

Related Forms:

swear Idioms

swear by

  1. to name (something held sacred) in taking an oath
  2. to have great faith or confidence in

swear for

to give assurance for; guarantee

swear in

to administer an oath to (a person taking office, a witness, etc.)

swear off

to promise to give up, leave off, or renounce

swear out

☆
to obtain (a warrant for someone's arrest) by making a charge under oath

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

swear Synonyms

swear

v.

  1. To curse

    blaspheme, utter profanity, cuss*; see curse 1, 2.

  2. To take an oath

    avow, affirm, depose, testify, state, vow, attest, warrant, vouch, assert, swear by, make an affidavit, give witness, cross one's heart.

  3. To declare

    assert, affirm, maintain; see declare 1, justify 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

swear Usage Examples

Object

  • oath: You have a choice to affirm your allegiance or swear the oath to Almighty God.

Preposition: on

  • oath: In my case I stated the time of purchase of my ticket and would be willing to swear on oath that I paid.

Adjective complement

  • blind: They swear blind that they never received my booking or credit card number for a " romantic dinner cruise for two " .

Modifying Another Word

  • solemnly: Posted by Stuart at 08:00 AM Comments i solemnly swear never to offer your services to fix an entire airport.

Infinitive complement

  • avenge: Hamlet swears to avenge his father, but his resolution soon dissolves into doubts and hesitation.

Preposition: by

  • altar: Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
swear usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

swear quotes

Swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay.

-Bible (NewTestament)

I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, Why Democracy means, Everybody but me.

-Hughes, (James Mercer) Langston

I've got just as much conscience as any man in business can afford to keep,öjust a little, you know, to swear by, as 't were.

-Stowe, Harriet (Elizabeth) ne¤  e Beecher

swear quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"swear." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/swear>

APA Style

swear. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/swear

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