■ verb ( ~s , ~ing ; past swore ; past participle sworn )
1》 state or promise solemnly or on oath.
↘( ~ someone in ) admit someone to a position or office by directing them to take a formal oath.
↘compel to observe a certain course of action: I am sworn to secrecy.
↘( ~ to ) give an assurance that something is the case.
↘( ~ off ) informal promise to abstain from.
↘( ~ by ) informal have or express great confidence in.
↘( ~ something out ) US Law obtain the issue of a warrant for arrest by making a charge on oath.
2》 use offensive language, especially to express anger.
Phrases
~ blind (or N. Amer. ~ up and down ) informal affirm something emphatically.
Derivatives
~er noun
Origin
OE swerian of Gmc origin; related to answer .