oath
a solemn appeal to a deity, or to some revered person or thing, to witness one's determination to speak the truth, to keep a promise, etc.: to testify upon oath.
a statement or promise strengthened by such an appeal.
a formally affirmed statement or promise accepted as an equivalent of an appeal to a deity or to a revered person or thing; affirmation.
the form of words in which such a statement or promise is made.
an irreverent or blasphemous use of the name of God or anything sacred.
any profane expression; curse; swear word: He slammed the door with a muttered oath.
Idioms about oath
take an oath, to swear solemnly; vow.
Origin of oath
1Other words for oath
Words that may be confused with oath
- oaf, oath
Words Nearby oath
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use oath in a sentence
Seven remained loyal to their oath, while only one, Lee, betrayed his country.
Until there’s a new organizing resolution, folks are stuck parked in their current committee assignments — or on the outside looking in, as is the case for the three newcomers to the Senate who took their oaths on Wednesday.
Why Mitch McConnell Is Filibustering to Protect the Filibuster | Philip Elliott | January 22, 2021 | TimeThen Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth administered the oath of office for Adams.
At the nation’s first presidential transfer of power, George Washington was ‘radiant’ | Gillian Brockell | January 19, 2021 | Washington PostIt was very difficult to see veterans who had taken an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution involved in that attack.
After a year of pain and strife, volunteers see MLK Day as a way to come together | Joe Heim | January 18, 2021 | Washington Post“I hope people will not view this as a political attack, but really standing for the integrity of the body and that oaths do mean something,” said Bell, a retired Air Force major.
Democrats seek censure of Virginia state senator who praised Capitol rioters | Laura Vozzella | January 15, 2021 | Washington Post
When our elected representatives assume their respective offices, they take an oath to “protect and defend the Constitution.”
Are Police Stealing People’s Property? | Joan Blades, Matt Kibbe | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThis oath Keeper was there for the protest, which had yet to materialize, and had a few friends joining him, he told me.
But given their anti-government rhetoric, the oath Keepers' presence could inflame tensions further.
The Oath Keepers Patrol Rooftops in Ferguson—The Facts Behind This ‘Mysterious’ Militia Group | John Avlon | December 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTRepeating an embellished story before a grand jury while under oath is an entirely different matter.
The oath, according to the King James Bible, requires one to “do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”
The Supreme Court Is Weighing Corporate Power Yet Again | Zephyr Teachout | October 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST"Garnache," came the other's crisp, metallic voice, and the name had a sound as of an oath on his lips.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini“Steed”—Jefferson rode on horseback to the Capitol to take his oath of office as President.
Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)Then he held down a hand to her, bade her set her foot on his, and called with an oath to Rabecque to lend her his assistance.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniGarnache's sword rasped out, an oath rattled from his clenched teeth, and he fell on guard.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniWhatever was his motive, he persisted in his resolution, and to the end was faithful to his oath.
British Dictionary definitions for oath
/ (əʊθ) /
a solemn pronouncement to affirm the truth of a statement or to pledge a person to some course of action, often involving a sacred being or object as witness: Related adjective: juratory
the form of such a pronouncement
an irreverent or blasphemous expression, esp one involving the name of a deity; curse
on oath, upon oath or under oath
under the obligation of an oath
law having sworn to tell the truth, usually with one's hand on the Bible
take an oath to declare formally with an oath or pledge, esp before giving evidence
Origin of oath
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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