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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Swear

Swear, v. i.

verbintransitive

(4), v. i. [imp. SWORE (formerly SWARE); p. p. SWORN; p. pr. & vb. n. SWEARING.] [A-S. & O. H. Ger. swerian, O. Sax. suerian, Goth. svaran, L. Ger. swören, D. zweren, N. H. Ger. schwören, O. Fries. svera, Icel. sveria, Sw. svärja, Dan. svärge, allied to A-S. swarian, to affirm, to answer, Icel. & Sw. svara, Dan. svare, to answer, q. v.]

Sense 1. To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed.

I swear by all the Roman gods. Shak.

Sense 2. (Law.) To give evidence on oath; as, to swear to the truth of a statement; he swore that the prisoner was not present at the riot.

Sense 3. To make an appeal to God in an irreverent manner; to use the name of God or sacred things profanely.

Swear, v. t.

verbtransitive
  1. To utter or affirm with a solemn appeal to God for the truth of the declaration; as, to swear an oath.
  2. (Law.) To put to an oath; to cause to take an oath; to administer an oath to; — often followed by in; as, to swear witnesses; to swear a jury; to swear in an officer.
  3. To declare or charge upon oath; as, to swear treason against a man.
  4. To appeal to by an oath.

Now, by Apollo, king, thou swear’st thy gods in vain. Shak. To swear the peace against one, to make oath that one is under the actual fear of death or bodily harm from the person, in which case the person must find sureties of the peace.