oath

[ohth]

noun

plural

oaths 

1. 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.

2. a statement or promise strengthened by such an appeal.

   Synonyms: pledge, vow

3. a formally affirmed statement or promise accepted as an equivalent of an appeal to a deity or to a revered person or thing; affirmation.

4. the form of words in which such a statement or promise is made.

5. an irreverent or blasphemous use of the name of God or anything sacred.

   Synonyms: profanity

6. any profane expression; curse; swear word.

   He slammed the door with a muttered oath.

oath

/ əʊθ /

noun

1. 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

2. the form of such a pronouncement

3. an irreverent or blasphemous expression, esp one involving the name of a deity; curse

4. 1. under the obligation of an oath

   2. law having sworn to tell the truth, usually with one's hand on the Bible

5. to declare formally with an oath or pledge, esp before giving evidence

Word History and Origins

Origin of oath¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English oth, Old English āth; cognate with Gothic aiths, Old Norse eidhr, German Eid

Word History and Origins

Origin of oath¹

Old English āth; related to Old Saxon, Old Frisian ēth, Old High German eid

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take an oath, to swear solemnly; vow.

Example Sentences

George Washington, the first US president, took the oath of office there in 1789.

From BBC

A spokesperson for ANL has previously said it had "denied under oath that its journalists had commissioned or obtained information derived from phone hacking, phone tapping, bugging, computer or email hacking or burglary to order".

From BBC

Freemasons take an oath of loyalty to the fraternity's principles and to supporting fellow members.

From BBC

The decision has drawn criticism from civil rights groups and some members of Congress, who argue that kneeling during a protest does not equate to a violation of the oath to uphold the law.

From Salon

“He wants accountability for these corrupt fraudsters who abused their power, who abused their oath of office to target the former president.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• affidavit 
• deposition 
• pledge 
• testimony 
• vow