swear Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb utter obscenities or profanities
    imprecate; cuss; curse; blaspheme.
    • The drunken men were cursing loudly in the street
  2. verb to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
    avow; affirm; verify; swan; assert; aver.
    • Before God I swear I am innocent
  3. verb promise solemnly; take an oath
  4. verb make a deposition; declare under oath
    depose; depone.
  5. verb have confidence or faith in
    rely; trust; bank.
    • We can trust in God
    • Rely on your friends
    • bank on your good education
    • I swear by my grandmother's recipes

WordNet

Swear intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. swerien, AS. swerian; akin to D. zweren, OS. swerian, OHG. swerien, G. schwören, Icel. sverja, Sw. svärja, Dan. sværge, Icel. & Sw. svara to answer, Dan. svare, Dan. & Sw. svar an answer, Goth. swaran to swear, and perhaps to E. swarm. *177. Cf. Answer.
Wordforms
imperfect Swore formerly Sware ; past participle Sworn ; present participle & verbal noun Swearing
Definitions
  1. To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed; to make a promise, threat, or resolve on oath; also, to affirm solemnly by some sacred object, or one regarded as sacred, as the Bible, the Koran, etc.
    Ye shall swear by my name falsely. Lev. xix. 12.
    I swear by all the Roman gods. Shak.
  2. (Law) To give evidence on oath; as, to swear to the truth of a statement; he swore against the prisoner.
  3. To make an appeal to God in an irreverant manner; to use the name of God or sacred things profanely; to call upon God in imprecation; to curse.
    [I] swore little; diced not above seven times a week. Shak.
Swear transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To utter or affirm with a solemn appeal to God for the truth of the declaration; to make (a promise, threat, or resolve) under oath.
    Swear unto me here by God, that thou wilt not deal falsely with me. Gen. xxi. 23.
    He swore consent to your succession. Shak.
  2. (Law) To put to an oath; to cause to take an oath; to administer an oath to; -- ofetn followed by in or into; as, to swear witnesses; to swear a jury; to swear in an officer; he was sworn into office.
  3. To declare or charge upon oath; as, he swore treason against his friend. Johnson.
  4. To appeal to by an oath.
    Now, by Apollo, king, Thou swear'st thy gods in vain. Shak.

Webster 1913