adjure

[ uh-joor ]

verb (used with object)

, ad·jured, ad·jur·ing.

1. to charge, bind, or command earnestly and solemnly, often under oath or the threat of a penalty.
2. to entreat or request earnestly or solemnly.

adjure

/ əˈdʒʊə; ˌædʒʊəˈreɪʃən /

verb

1. to command, often by exacting an oath; charge
2. to appeal earnestly to

Derived Forms

• adˈjuratory, adjective
• adjuration, noun
• adˈjurer, noun

Other Words From

• ad·jur·a·to·ry [uh, -, joor, -, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], adjective
• ad·jurer ad·juror noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of adjure¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Latin word adjūrāre. See ad-, jury ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of adjure¹

C14: from Latin adjūrāre to swear to, from ad- to + jūrāre to swear, from jūs oath

Example Sentences

Despite the song’s topic, the music is joyful, light, as Carlito adjures Maya in Lingala, the language of Kinshasa and its environs:

From The New Yorker

The classic manuals, written by starchy Englishmen and rock- ribbed Yankees, try to take all the fun out of writing, grimly adjuring the writer to avoid offbeat words, figures of speech, and playful alliteration.

From Literature

Far from being adjured to address our habit of buying useless consumer goods which have built-in obsolescence, we're positively enjoined to keep calm and carry more shopping if we want the economy to grow.

From BBC

Then another surprise: He adjured the name “Pius XIII” in favor of his father’s, John.

From Newsweek

Lord King, I adjure thee, open the gates, open thy heart.

From Project Gutenberg