swear
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.
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.
Informal. a profane or obscene word; curse word: If we said a swear, Mom made us put a quarter in the jar.Heads-up—this movie trailer is full of swears and is NSFW.
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: I've decided to swear off the internet one day a week.Have you sworn off red meat?
swear out, to secure (a warrant for arrest) by making an accusation under oath.
Origin of swear
1synonym study For swear
Other words for swear
Other words from swear
- swear·er, noun
- swear·ing·ly, adverb
- re·swear, verb, re·swore, re·sworn, re·swear·ing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use swear in a sentence
Then he began shouting the same thing, without the swearing.
Eric Garner Protests: ‘It’s Like Vietnam’ | Abby Haglage, Caitlin Dickson, Jacob Siegel, Chris Allbritton | December 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHis first experience had him swearing off “edibles”—food cooked with cannabis—for good.
True, the story contains no sex scenes and no swearing, and its protagonists, other than Skink, are two plucky teenagers.
This story is categorically different from cases where men accused of rape are swearing up and down it was consensual sex.
Conor Oberst and the Myth of the Woman Who Cried Rape | Amanda Marcotte | July 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt was quickly deleted, with Howard swearing never ever again to give voice to his thoughts on international politics.
Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire Posts Pro-Palestine Photo, Allegedly Cyberbullies Israeli-Born MTV VJ | Robert Silverman | July 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
To colour a meerschaum was the ambition of smokers, swearing was considered neither low nor vulgar, and snuffing was fashionable.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowSwearing, as I have said, was not considered low or vulgar or unbecoming a gentleman.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowThe swearing of an oath always brings under obligation to God, and therefore always includes the making of a vow.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John CunninghamOne of the things, therefore, denoted by the offering of seven sacrifices was the swearing of it.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John CunninghamThe vow cannot be mistaken for anything else; and the swearing of the oath is marked by a character of its own.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John Cunningham
British Dictionary definitions for swear
/ (swɛə) /
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
a period of swearing
Origin of swear
1Derived forms of swear
- swearer, noun
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
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