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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Swear \Swear\, verb (used without an object) [imp. {Swore}, formerly {Sware}; p. p. {Sworn}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Swearing}.] [OE. swerien, AS. swerian; akin to D. zweren, OS. swerian, OHG. swerien, G. schw["o]ren, Icel. sverja, Sw. sv["a]rja, Dan. sv[ae]rge, Icel. & Sw. svara to answer, Dan. svare, Dan. & Sw. svar an answer, Goth. swaran to swear, and perhaps to E. swarm. [root]177. Cf. {Answer}.]
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.
{To swear by}, to place great confidence in a person or thing; to trust implicitly as an authority. ''I simply meant to ask if you are one of those who swear by Lord Verulam.'' --Miss Edgeworth.
{To swear off}, to make a solemn vow, or a serious resolution, to abstain from something; as, to swear off smoking. [Slang]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Swearing \Swear"ing\, a. & n. from {Swear}, v.
Idle swearing is a cursedness. --Chaucer.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
swearing
noun
1: profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger; "expletives were deleted" [syn: {curse}, {curse word}, {expletive}, {oath}, {swearword}, {cuss}]
2: a commitment to tell the truth (especially in a court of law); to lie under oath is to become subject to prosecution for perjury [syn: {oath}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
36 Moby Thesaurus words for "swearing": affidavit, affirmation, attestation, bad language, billingsgate, blue language, certification, colorful language, cursing, cussing, deposition, dirty language, dirty talk, dysphemism, evil speaking, execration, filth, filthy language, foul language, imprecation, notarized statement, obscenity, profane swearing, profanity, ribaldry, scatology, statement under oath, strong language, sworn statement, sworn testimony, testimony, unparliamentary language, unrepeatable expressions, vile language, vouching, vulgar language
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |