/ sweə(r); NAmE swer/ verb ( swore / swɔː(r); NAmE / sworn / swɔːn; NAmE swɔːrn/)
1.
[ v ] swear (at sb/sth) to use rude or offensive language, usually because you are angry :
She fell over and swore loudly.
Why did you let him swear at you like that?
2.
[ no passive ] to make a serious promise to do sth
SYN vow :
[ vn ]
He swore revenge on the man who had killed his father.
[ v ( that )]
I swear (that) I'll never leave you.
HELP NOTE : 'That' is usually left out, especially in speech.
: [ v to inf ]
She made him swear not to tell anyone.
3.
swear (to sb) | swear (on sth) to promise that you are telling the truth :
[ v ( that )]
She swore (that) she'd never seen him before.
I could have sworn (= I am sure) I heard the phone ring.
[ v ]
I swear to God I had nothing to do with it.
4.
swear (on sth) to make a public or official promise, especially in court :
[ v ]
Witnesses were required to swear on the Bible.
[ v that ]
Are you willing to stand up in court and swear that you don't recognize him?
[ v to inf ]
Remember, you have sworn to tell the truth.
[ vn ]
Barons had to swear an oath of allegiance to the king.
5.
[ vn ] swear sb to secrecy / silence to make sb promise not to tell sth to anyone :
Everyone was sworn to secrecy about what had happened.
—see also sworn
•
IDIOMS
- swear blind
- swear like a trooper
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- swear by sb/sth
- swear sb in | swear sb into sth
- swear to sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English swerian of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zweren , German schwören , also to answer .