swear

[ swair ]

verb (used without object)

, swore [swawr] or (Archaic) sware [swair]; sworn [swawrn]; swear·ing.

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

   Synonyms: avow, declare, affirm

2. to bind oneself by oath.
3. to give evidence or make a statement on oath.

   Synonyms: testify, depose

4. to use profane oaths or language:

   Don't swear in front of the children.

   Synonyms: imprecate

verb (used with object)

, swore [swawr] or (Archaic) sware [swair]; sworn [swawrn]; swear·ing.

1. to declare, affirm, attest, etc., by swearing by a deity, some sacred object, etc.
2. to affirm, assert, or say with solemn earnestness.
3. to promise or undertake on oath or in a solemn manner; vow.
4. to testify or state on oath:

   He swore it on the witness stand.

5. to take (an oath), as in order to give solemnity or force to a declaration, promise, etc.
6. to bind by an oath:

   to swear someone to secrecy.

noun

1. 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.

verb phrase

1. 1. to name (a sacred being or thing) as one's witness or guarantee in swearing.
   2. Informal. to have great confidence in; rely on:

      He swears by his dentist.

   3. to have certain knowledge of:

      I thought I saw him leaving, but I couldn't swear by it.

2. 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?

3. to admit to office or service by administering an oath:

   A new president will be sworn in today.

4. to secure (a warrant for arrest) by making an accusation under oath.

swear

/ swɛə /

verb

1. to declare or affirm (a statement) as true, esp by invoking a deity, etc, as witness
2. foll by by
   1. to invoke (a deity, etc) by name as a witness or guarantee to an oath
   2. to trust implicitly; have complete confidence (in)
3. introften foll byat to curse, blaspheme, or use swearwords
4. when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive to promise solemnly on oath; vow
5. tr to assert or affirm with great emphasis or earnestness
6. intr to give evidence or make any statement or solemn declaration on oath
7. to take an oath in order to add force or solemnity to (a statement or declaration)
8. swear blind informal.
   to assert emphatically

noun

1. a period of swearing

Derived Forms

• ˈswearer, noun

Other Words From

• swear·er noun
• swear·ing·ly adverb
• re·swear verb reswore resworn reswearing

Word History and Origins

Origin of swear¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of swear¹

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

Synonym Study

See curse.

Example Sentences

The shopkeeper had held the licence for only a month when he rang the police on 999 that night, with the operator reporting “several raised voices could be heard in the background shouting and swearing”.

From BBC

I swear it felt like I was working with the modern-day Lucille Ball.

From Los Angeles Times

"If the crust starts to get too dark, I swear by a ring of foil wrapped around the crust to protect it. You can keep them and reuse them many times too."

From Salon

Few are prepared to say so openly, although the drivers did not leave much to the imagination in their open letter on the recent controversy over swearing.

From BBC

"I'm not afraid of you," she went on to say, then swore at the billionaire, who owns Tesla and social media platform X.

From BBC

Related Words

• affirm
• assert
• depose
• testify
• vow