swear

[ swair ]

/ swɛər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR swear ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

to make a solemn declaration or affirmation by some sacred being or object, as a deity or the Bible.

to bind oneself by oath.

to give evidence or make a statement on oath.

to use profane oaths or language: Don't swear in front of the children.

verb (used with object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

to declare, affirm, attest, etc., by swearing by a deity, some sacred object, etc.

to affirm, assert, or say with solemn earnestness.

to promise or undertake on oath or in a solemn manner; vow.

to testify or state on oath: He swore it on the witness stand.

to take (an oath), as in order to give solemnity or force to a declaration, promise, etc.

to bind by an oath: to swear someone to secrecy.

Verb Phrases

swear by,

to name (a sacred being or thing) as one's witness or guarantee in swearing.
Informal. to have great confidence in; rely on: He swears by his dentist.
to have certain knowledge of: I thought I saw him leaving, but I couldn't swear by it.

swear in, to admit to office or service by administering an oath: A new president will be sworn in today.

swear off, to promise or resolve to give up something, especially intoxicating beverages.

swear out, to secure (a warrant for arrest) by making an accusation under oath.

Nearby words

swazi territory, swaziland, swazzle, swbs, swbw, swear, swear at, swear by, swear in, swear jar, swear like a trooper

Origin of swear

before 900; Middle English sweren, Old English swerian; cognate with German schwören, Old Norse sverja; akin to Gothic swaran to swear; see answer

SYNONYMS FOR swear

1 declare, affirm, avow.

3 depose, testify.

4 imprecate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR swear ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsswear·er, nounswear·ing·ly, adverbre·swear, verb, re·swore, re·sworn, re·swear·ing.un·der·swear·er, noun

Synonym study

4. See curse.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for swear

Nine new Republican senators will swear their oaths of office.
The Democrats’ Black Hole—and What They Can Do About It|Michael Tomasky|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or should you swear it off in the name of better cholesterol?
Bulletproof Coffee and the Case for Butter as a Health Food|DailyBurn|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Opposing fans often taunt him, screaming, “Swear in a minute, he's going to swear in a minute.”
Team USA Lost, but Tim Howard Is a Winner|Emily Shire|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I swear we all went into this because we like people and most importantly the idea of healing you is very rewarding.
‘Code Black’: An M.D. on How to Fix Our Emergency Room Crisis|Ryan McGarry|June 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It just shocked me, I swear I would have a chauffeur if I could ever afford one.
The Price of Being a Patton: Wrestling With the Legacy of America’s Most Famous General|Tim Teeman|May 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It possesses its own nouns, verbs and other parts of speech, a sprinkling of slang, and practically no "swear" words.
The Kingdom of the Yellow Robe|Ernest Young
I was lying next to you, and I will swear that you brought down eight of them with your rifle, before they charged.
Through Three Campaigns|G. A. Henty
"Yes, we will swear it," answered Leonard, who could not conceal the anguish of his anxiety.
The People Of The Mist|H. Rider Haggard
But once more, I swear before Heaven that your base charges are false.
The Sapphire Cross|George Manville Fenn
I swear to you I have dreamed of you ever since, and love you.
Rhoda Fleming, Complete|George Meredith

British Dictionary definitions for swear

swear

/ (swɛə) /

verb swears, swearing, swore or sworn

to declare or affirm (a statement) as true, esp by invoking a deity, etc, as witness

(foll by by)

to invoke (a deity, etc) by name as a witness or guarantee to an oath
to trust implicitly; have complete confidence (in)

(intr often foll by at) to curse, blaspheme, or use swearwords

(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to promise solemnly on oath; vow

(tr) to assert or affirm with great emphasis or earnestness

(intr) to give evidence or make any statement or solemn declaration on oath

to take an oath in order to add force or solemnity to (a statement or declaration)

swear blind informal to assert emphatically

noun

a period of swearing

Derived Formsswearer, noun

Word Origin for swear

Old English swerian; related to Old Norse sverja, Gothic swaran, Old Frisian swera, German schwören

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for swear

swear

Old English swerian "take an oath" (class VI strong verb; past tense swor, past participle sworen), from Proto-Germanic *swarjan-, (cf. Old Saxon swerian, Old Norse sverja, Danish sverge, Old Frisian swera, Middle Dutch swaren, Old High German swerien, German schwören, Gothic swaren "to swear"), from PIE root *swer- (1) "to speak, talk, say" (cf. Old Church Slavonic svara "quarrel"). Also related to the second element in answer. The secondary sense of "use bad language" (early 15c.) developed from the notion of "invoke sacred names." Swear-word is American English colloquial from 1883. Swear off "desist as with a vow" is from 1898.

swear

verb (used without object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

verb (used with object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

Verb Phrases

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Origin of swear

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for swear

British Dictionary definitions for swear

swear

verb swears, swearing, swore or sworn

noun

Word Origin for swear

Word Origin and History for swear

swear