swearing

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swear

(swâr)

v. swore (swôr), sworn (swôrn), swear·ing, swears

v.intr.

1. To make a solemn declaration, invoking a deity or a sacred person or thing, in confirmation of and witness to the honesty or truth of such a declaration.

2. To make a solemn promise; vow.

3. To use obscene or blasphemous language; curse.

4. Law To commit oneself by oath to giving evidence or testimony that is truthful.

v.tr.

a. To declare or affirm solemnly by invoking a deity or a sacred person or thing: swore on the Bible that he would tell the truth.

b. To say or affirm earnestly and with great conviction: I swear that I will pay you back.

2. To promise or pledge with a solemn oath; vow: He swore to do his duty. See Synonyms at promise.

3. To utter or bind oneself to (an oath).

4. Law To administer a legal oath to: All the witnesses have been sworn.

A swearword.

Phrasal Verbs:

swear at

To use vulgar language against; curse:

swear by

1. To have great reliance on or confidence in: He swears by his personal physician.

2. To have reliable knowledge of; be sure of: I think she left early, but I couldn't swear by it.

3. To take an oath by: He swore by all the angels and saints of heaven.

swear in

To administer a legal or official oath to: swear in a mayor.

swear off Informal

To pledge to renounce or give up: She has sworn off cigarettes.

swear out Law

1. To attest to (an affidavit or complaint) by oath.

2. To swear to evidence under oath in order to obtain (a warrant for arrest).

[Middle English sweren, from Old English swerian; see swer- in Indo-European roots.]

swear′er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	swearing - profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger; "expletives were deleted" curse, curse word, expletive, oath, swearword, cuss profanity - vulgar or irreverent speech or action
	2.	swearing - a commitment to tell the truth (especially in a court of law); to lie under oath is to become subject to prosecution for perjury oath dedication, commitment - a message that makes a pledge

swearing

noun bad language, cursing, profanity, blasphemy, cussing (informal), foul language, imprecations, malediction a stream of swearing and abuse

Quotations
"Expletive deleted" [editor of Nixon's Watergate tapes]

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

ругань

swearing

n → Fluchen nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Andres went off rather down in the mouth, swearing he would go to look for the valiant Don Quixote of La Mancha and tell him exactly what had happened, and that all would have to be repaid him sevenfold; but for all that, he went off weeping, while his master stood laughing.

View in context

Her back was up and she was swearing like a medical student.

Swearing is the safety-valve through which the bad temper that might otherwise do serious internal injury to his mental mechanism escapes in harmless vaporing.

Swearing relieves the feelings--that is what swearing does.

View in context

The manner of their swearing is this: they set a sheep in the midst of them, and rub it over with butter, the heads of families who are the chief in the nation lay their hands upon the head of the sheep, and swear to observe their promise.

An account of the Galles, and of the author's reception at the king's tent; Their manner of swearing, and of letting blood.

View in context

Swearing is a form of language which is often used by people in daily conversation.

Swear Words Used by Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street Movie

w st Malcolm Tucker - the king of swearing Younger children might hear other children say these words and merely copy them and soak them up like a sponge, as children do.

Keeping children's language swear-free

The swearing in of Justice John Tsoho as the acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Myhammad, failed to hold as scheduled on Friday morning.

BREAKING: aGuests Disperse S/Court As Swearing-In Of Tsoho As Acting CJ Of FHC Fails To Hold

A panel of language experts has found swearing does help us tolerate pain by up to a third.

Swearing out loud does reduce pain - say scientists; Uttering expletives when you hurt yourself is good for you

Swearing on your children's lives has more emotional impact than swearing on the life of your pet dog, and fewer domestic complications than swearing on the life of your partner.