swear en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈswɜː(ɹ)/ Lancashire, fair–fur merger
- /ˈswɛə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈswe̝ə/ (New-Zealand) without the cheer–chair merger
- /ˈswɛɚ/ (General-American)
- /ˈsweə/ Perth
- /ˈsweː/ (Australia)
- /ˈsweɹ/ (Scotland)
- (US) audio
- /ˈswiə/ New Zealand, cheer–chair merger
Etymology
From Middle English sweren, swerien, from Old English swerian (“to swear, take an oath of office”), from Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną (“to speak, swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to swear”). Cognate with West Frisian swarre (“to swear”), Saterland Frisian swera (“to swear”), Dutch zweren (“to swear, vow”), Low German swören (“to swear”), sweren, German schwören (“to swear”), Danish sværge, Swedish svära (“to swear”), Icelandic sverja (“to swear”), Russian свара (svara, “quarrel”). Also cognate to Albanian var (“to hang, consider, to depend from”) through Proto-Indo-European. The original sense in all Germanic languages is “to take an oath”. The sense “to use bad language” developed in Middle English and is based on the Christian prohibition against swearing in general (cf. Matthew 5:33-37) and invoking God’s name in particular (i.e. frequent swearing was considered similar to the use of obscene words).
Meanings
-
(ambitransitive) To take an oath, to promise intensely, solemnly, and/or with legally binding effect.
The knight swore not to return to the palace until he had found the treasure.
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(transitive) To take an oath that an assertion is true.
The witness swore that the person she had seen running out of the bank was a foot shorter than the accused.
-
(transitive) To promise intensely that something is true; to strongly assert.
I swear I don't know what you're talking about.
My little brother is such a pest, I swear.
The Bat—they called him the Bat.[…]. He'd never been in stir, the bulls had never mugged him, he didn't run with a mob, he played a lone hand, and fenced his stuff so that even the fence couldn't swear he knew his face.
1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, chapter I, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 01:
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(transitive) To administer an oath to (a person).
Let the witness be sworn.
-
(ambitransitive) To use offensive, profane, or obscene language.
An Australian was once appointed on contract, but he swore too much.
1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 38:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| swears | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| sware | Tense=Past | archaic | lexicographic |
| swearing | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| swore | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| swore | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | nonstandard | lexicographic |
| sworn | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
overswear · swearsome · swear like a sailor · swear down · swear like a pagan · swear at · swearsies · unswear · re-swear · swear word · sweary · swear on · swear on a stack of Bibles · I swear · say you swear · forswear · swearable · swear out · beswear · answer · swear blind · misswear · pinky swear · swear on a stack · counterswear · reswear · swear like a cutter · swear the peace · swear to God · swear like a trooper · swear by · swear off · outswear · could have sworn · swear upon · swear in
Hyponyms
Relateds
swear word · pardon my French · potty mouth · swearing · cuss up a blue streak
Synonyms
swear like a pagan · eff and jeff · swear like a trooper · testify · swear like a cutter · affirm · pledge · turn the air blue · eff and blind · vow · execrate · curse like a pagan · depose · execrate · curse · turn the air blue · curse like a trooper · curse like a sailor · swear · blaspheme · curse · imprecate · cuss · vilify · swear like a sailor
Translations (230)
hy երդվեցնել (to take an oath) · io jurar (to take an oath) · mrw sapa' (to take an oath) · pt xingar (to curse, to use offensive language) · ar حَلَفَ (to take an oath) · km សច្ចា (to take an oath) · non bǫlva (to curse, to use offensive language) · cmn 賭咒 /赌咒 (to take an oath) · gl xurar (to curse, to use offensive language) · it giurare (to take an oath) · eo ĵuri (to take an oath) · wa djurer (to take an oath) · sc giurare (to take an oath) · th สบถ (to curse, to use offensive language) · it insultare (to curse, to use offensive language) · fur zurâ (to take an oath) · mfe zoure (to take an oath) · he נשבע (to take an oath) · fa فحش دادن (to curse, to use offensive language) · nb sverge (to curse, to use offensive language) · kea jura (to take an oath) · es jurar (to take an oath) · pl przysięgać (to take an oath) · ja 怒鳴る (to curse, to use offensive language) · az yaman demək (to curse, to use offensive language) · cmn 發誓 /发誓 (to take an oath) · uz qasamyod qilmoq (to take an oath) · be ла́яцца (to curse, to use offensive language) · ka წყევლა (to curse, to use offensive language) · hu káromkodik (to curse, to use offensive language) · scn giurari (to take an oath) · vi nói bậy (to curse, to use offensive language) · fr jurer (to take an oath) · sc zurare (to take an oath) · cmn 咒罵 /咒骂 (to curse, to use offensive language) · lt keiktis (to curse, to use offensive language) · ro blestema (to curse, to use offensive language) · fur ğurâ (to take an oath) · ru вы́ругаться (to curse, to use offensive language) · sv svärja (to take an oath) · nrf juther (to take an oath) · eo blasfemi (to curse, to use offensive language) · ast xurar (to take an oath) · ru присягну́ть (to take an oath) · nl zweren (to take an oath) · nn sverje (to curse, to use offensive language) · vi văng tục (to curse, to use offensive language) · ar شَتَمَ (to curse, to use offensive language) · nl schelden (to curse, to use offensive language) · hu szitkozódik (to curse, to use offensive language) · ja 悪態をつく (to curse, to use offensive language) · uk присягну́ти (to take an oath) · sk kliať (to curse, to use offensive language) · hy երդվել (to take an oath) · pl przyrzekać (to take an oath) · eo fiparoli (to curse, to use offensive language) · vi nói tục (to curse, to use offensive language) · eo sakri (to curse, to use offensive language) · te ప్రమాణం చేయు (to take an oath) · ru скверносло́вить (to curse, to use offensive language) · be мацюка́цца (to curse, to use offensive language) · ckb سوێند خواردن (to take an oath) · hi कोसना (to curse, to use offensive language) · mk пцуе (to curse, to use offensive language) · ru брани́ться (to curse, to use offensive language) · bg кълна́ се (to take an oath) · tg қасам хурдан (to take an oath) · mn ᠠᠮᠠᠯᠠᠬᠤ (to take an oath) · es renegar (to curse, to use offensive language) · km សាបាន (to take an oath) · it bestemmiare (to curse, to use offensive language) · tr ant içmek (to take an oath) · sh клети се (to take an oath) · gl xurar (to take an oath) · vi thề (to take an oath) · tr yemin etmek (to take an oath) · pl przyrzec (to take an oath) · pl kląć (to curse, to use offensive language) · pl skląć (to curse, to use offensive language) · ru присяга́ть (to take an oath) · pl zakląć (to curse, to use offensive language) · ist bas'ciamà (to curse, to use offensive language) · de schimpfen (to curse, to use offensive language) · ko 맹세하다 (to take an oath) · bn কসম করা (to take an oath) · uk покля́стися (to take an oath) · ca jurar (to take an oath) · km ស្បថ (to take an oath) · pl bluzgać (to curse, to use offensive language) · sk prisahať (to take an oath) · ja 誓う (to take an oath) · non sverja (to take an oath) · sw -apa (to take an oath) · da sværge (to take an oath) · pl kląć się (to take an oath) · es echar ternos (to curse, to use offensive language) · uk присяга́ти (to take an oath) · fr jurer (to curse, to use offensive language) · mk се колне (to take an oath) · te ఒట్టు పెట్టు (to take an oath) · ru руга́ться (to curse, to use offensive language) · ar سَبَّ (to curse, to use offensive language) · nds swören (to take an oath) · sl prisegati (to take an oath) · nn sverta (to curse, to use offensive language) · ja 罵る (to curse, to use offensive language) · nn banne (to curse, to use offensive language) · ml ആണയിടുക (to take an oath) · ka კრულვა (to curse, to use offensive language) · az and içmək (to take an oath) · tr sövmek (to curse, to use offensive language) · nb banne (to curse, to use offensive language) · ngh ǁxʼaa (to curse, to use offensive language) · fo blóta (to curse, to use offensive language) · zdj ulapva (to take an oath) · cmn 罵人 /骂人 (to curse, to use offensive language) · ckb جْنێودان (to curse, to use offensive language) · da bande (to curse, to use offensive language) · ro înjura (to curse, to use offensive language) · sh kleti se (to take an oath) · th สาบาน (to take an oath) · fi kiroilla (to curse, to use offensive language) · de fluchen (to curse, to use offensive language) · ru покля́сться (to take an oath) · fo svørja (to take an oath) · az söyüş söymək (to curse, to use offensive language) · mi kangakanga (to curse, to use offensive language) · fa قسم خوردن (to take an oath) · vi chửi bậy (to curse, to use offensive language) · my ကျိန် (to take an oath) · cy melltithio (to curse, to use offensive language) · el βρίζω (to curse, to use offensive language) · uk кля́стися (to take an oath) · et ropendama (to curse, to use offensive language) · pl zaklinać się (to take an oath) · nrf juther (to curse, to use offensive language) · lo ສະບານ (to take an oath) · uk клясти́ся (to take an oath) · acw سَبّ (to curse, to use offensive language) · is blóta (to curse, to use offensive language) · fa دشنام دادن (to curse, to use offensive language) · mn амлах (to take an oath) · tg дашном додан (to curse, to use offensive language) · nn banna (to curse, to use offensive language) · be прысягну́ць (to take an oath) · vi chửi (to curse, to use offensive language) · nb sverte (to curse, to use offensive language) · ruq jur (to take an oath) · sl priseči (to take an oath) · vi chửi thề (to curse, to use offensive language) · uk поклясти́ся (to take an oath) · acw حلف (to take an oath) · tr küfretmek (to curse, to use offensive language) · is sverja (to take an oath) · hu esküszik (to take an oath) · scn nciuriari (to curse, to use offensive language) · nb sverge (to take an oath) · mdh sapa (to take an oath) · dsb klěś (to curse, to use offensive language) · uk ла́ятися (to curse, to use offensive language) · sv svära (to take an oath) · cmn 醜詆 /丑诋 (to curse, to use offensive language) · fo svørja (to curse, to use offensive language) · he קִלֵּל (to curse, to use offensive language) · ar أَقْسَمَ (to take an oath) · pl przekląć (to curse, to use offensive language) · be кля́сціся (to take an oath) · bg руга́я (to curse, to use offensive language) · nn sverte (to curse, to use offensive language) · pt praguejar (to curse, to use offensive language) · la iūrō (to take an oath) · ko 욕을 하다 (to curse, to use offensive language) · cs přísahat (to take an oath) · hy հայհոյել (to curse, to use offensive language) · es maldecir (to curse, to use offensive language) · cy rhegi (to curse, to use offensive language) · vi chửi tục (to curse, to use offensive language) · ro jura (to take an oath) · pt jurar (to take an oath) · bg закле́вам се (to take an oath) · eo parolaĉi (to curse, to use offensive language) · uk матюка́тися (to curse, to use offensive language) · bg псу́вам (to curse, to use offensive language) · pl bluznąć (to curse, to use offensive language) · acw شتم (to curse, to use offensive language) · ru матюка́ться (to curse, to use offensive language) · be прысяга́ць (to take an oath) · sh psovati (to curse, to use offensive language) · be пакля́сціся (to take an oath) · nl vloeken (to curse, to use offensive language) · es jurar (to curse, to use offensive language) · ru матери́ться (to curse, to use offensive language) · scn nzurtari (to curse, to use offensive language) · nn sverja (to take an oath) · sv svära (to curse, to use offensive language) · el ορκίζομαι (to take an oath) · fi vannoa (to take an oath) · oc jurar (to take an oath) · hi गाली देना (to curse, to use offensive language) · ka ფიცი (to take an oath) · ka დაფიცება (to take an oath) · scn jurari (to take an oath) · fo banna (to curse, to use offensive language) · scn jastimiari (to curse, to use offensive language) · mt naħlef (to take an oath) · alt карганар (to take an oath) · pl wyklinać (to curse, to use offensive language) · vec giurar (to take an oath) · ml തെറിപറയുക (to curse, to use offensive language) · tg савганд ёд кардан (to take an oath) · ml സത്യം ചെയ്യുക (to take an oath) · cy tyngu (to take an oath) · sc giurài (to take an oath) · tg ҳақорат кардан (to curse, to use offensive language) · ky каргануу (to take an oath) · nl een eed afleggen (to take an oath) · ja 契る (to take an oath) · pl przeklinać (to curse, to use offensive language) · fr gronder (to curse, to use offensive language) · ka გინება (to curse, to use offensive language) · de schwören (to take an oath) · ru матюга́ться (to curse, to use offensive language) · cs klít (to curse, to use offensive language) · nn sverja (to curse, to use offensive language) · fa سوگند خوردن (to take an oath) · ru кля́сться (to take an oath) · rup giur (to take an oath) · pl przysiąc (to take an oath) · nn sverje (to take an oath) · grc ὄμνυμι (to take an oath)