swore

[ swawr, swohr ]

/ swɔr, swoʊr /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR swore ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

a simple past tense of swear.

Words nearby swore

swordplay, swordsman, swordstick, swordswoman, swordtail, swore, sworn, swot, swotter, swotty, swound

Definition for swore (2 of 2)

swear

[ swair ]

/ swɛər /

verb (used without object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

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

to bind oneself by oath.

to give evidence or make a statement on oath.

to use profane oaths or language: Don't swear in front of the children.

verb (used with object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

to declare, affirm, attest, etc., by swearing by a deity, some sacred object, etc.

to affirm, assert, or say with solemn earnestness.

to promise or undertake on oath or in a solemn manner; vow.

to testify or state on oath: He swore it on the witness stand.

to take (an oath), as in order to give solemnity or force to a declaration, promise, etc.

to bind by an oath: to swear someone to secrecy.

Verb Phrases

swear by,

to name (a sacred being or thing) as one's witness or guarantee in swearing.
Informal. to have great confidence in; rely on: He swears by his dentist.
to have certain knowledge of: I thought I saw him leaving, but I couldn't swear by it.

swear in, to admit to office or service by administering an oath: A new president will be sworn in today.

swear off, to promise or resolve to give up something, especially intoxicating beverages.

swear out, to secure (a warrant for arrest) by making an accusation under oath.

Origin of swear

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

SYNONYMS FOR swear

1 declare, affirm, avow.

3 depose, testify.

4 imprecate.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR swear ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for swear

4. See curse.

OTHER WORDS FROM swear

swear·er, noun swear·ing·ly, adverb re·swear, verb, re·swore, re·sworn, re·swear·ing. un·der·swear·er, noun

Example sentences from the Web for swore

And when Bill Clinton swore on a stack of Bibles that he rose from a town called Hope, few of us rolled our eyes.

Let Us Now Praise Famous Rednecks and Their Unjustly Unsung Kin |Allison Glock |August 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They insisted the raiders were from the “Dnipr” battalion and they swore revenge on them.

Inside Putin's Rigged Ukraine Election |Jamie Dettmer |May 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
“I remember feeling very helpless because she swore me to secrecy and would never tell anyone,” she said.

Is Sex Assault a Crime in the Ivy League? |Olivia Nuzzi |May 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He was the point man in the promotion when Evel Knievel swore he'd soar across Snake River Canyon in a sawed-off rocket ship.

The Stacks: Harold Conrad Was Many Things, But He Was Never, Ever Dull |Mark Jacobson |March 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Kerry swore no such document existed, but I have seen a copy of these proposed plans.

The Erekat Came Back |Maysoon Zayid |November 15, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Old Joe swore the boy to this obedience, and young Joe has never faltered or hesitated.

Frank Merriwell's Son |Burt L. Standish
He drew back, greatly astounded, and swore beneath his breath.

Athelstane Ford |Allen Upward
Hugh, seeing that it was useless to remonstrate, sank back in the seat and swore audibly.

Nedra |George Barr McCutcheon
He swore he would not, and he beat me when I pleaded for them.

Tara |Philip Meadows Taylor
Hen swore under his powerful breath that it was a dad-burned lie; but it looked awful plausible to me.

Yellowstone Nights |Herbert Quick

British Dictionary definitions for swore (1 of 2)

swore

/ (swɔː) /

verb

the past tense of swear

British Dictionary definitions for swore (2 of 2)

swear

/ (swɛə) /

verb swears, swearing, swore or sworn

to declare or affirm (a statement) as true, esp by invoking a deity, etc, as witness

(foll by by)

to invoke (a deity, etc) by name as a witness or guarantee to an oath
to trust implicitly; have complete confidence (in)

(intr often foll by at) to curse, blaspheme, or use swearwords

(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to promise solemnly on oath; vow

(tr) to assert or affirm with great emphasis or earnestness

(intr) to give evidence or make any statement or solemn declaration on oath

to take an oath in order to add force or solemnity to (a statement or declaration)

swear blind informal to assert emphatically

noun

a period of swearing

Derived forms of swear

swearer, noun

Word Origin for swear

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

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

swore

verb

Words nearby swore

Definition for swore (2 of 2)

verb (used without object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

verb (used with object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of swear

SYNONYMS FOR swear

synonym study for swear

OTHER WORDS FROM swear

Example sentences from the Web for swore

British Dictionary definitions for swore (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for swore (2 of 2)

verb swears, swearing, swore or sworn

noun

Derived forms of swear

Word Origin for swear

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

swore

verb

Words nearby swore

Definition for swore (2 of 2)

verb (used without object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

verb (used with object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of swear

SYNONYMS FOR swear

synonym study for swear

OTHER WORDS FROM swear

Words related to swore

Example sentences from the Web for swore

British Dictionary definitions for swore (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for swore (2 of 2)

verb swears, swearing, swore or sworn

noun

Derived forms of swear

Word Origin for swear