swear

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English Vietnamese dictionary

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Advanced English dictionary

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1 [V] ~ (at sb/sth) to use rude or offensive language, usually because you are angry: She fell over and swore loudly. + I don't like to hear children swearing. + Why did you let him swear at you like that?
2 [no passive] to make a serious promise to do sth: [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 ~ (to sb)
~ (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 ~ (on sth) to make a public or official promise, especially in a court of law: [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] ~ 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 (informal) to say that sth is definitely true: He swore blind that he'd already paid back the money he owed me.
swear like a trooper (old-fashioned, BrE) to often use very rude or offensive language
Phrasal Verbs: swear by sb/sth
1 to name sb/sth to show that you are making a serious promise: I swear by almighty God that I will tell the truth.
2 (not used in progressive tenses) to be certain that sth is good or useful: She swears by meditation as a way of relieving stress.
swear sb<->in
swear sb into sth [often passive] to make sb promise to do a job correctly, to be loyal to an organization, a country, etc: He was sworn in as president. + The new prime minister was sworn into office.
related noun SWEARING-IN
swear to sth (informal) to say that sth is definitely true: I think I put the keys back in the drawer, but I couldn't swear to it (= I'm not completely sure).

Thesaurus dictionary

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v.

1 depose, aver, asseverate, declare, insist, assert, solemnly affirm or state, testify, promise, take an oath, undertake, vow, avow, vouchsafe, warrant, pledge, give one's word, agree:

He swore he had not done any such thing.

2 curse, blaspheme, imprecate, use profanity, utter profanities, execrate, Colloq cuss:

Priscilla stopped her ears at the men's swearing.

3 swear by. trust (in), believe in, rely on, have confidence in, count on:

The colonel swears by the same old fountain-pen he has used for years and will use no other.

4 swear off. forswear, renounce, abjure, go off, forgo, shun, avoid, give up, eschew, forsake, throw over:

Brian tells me he's sworn off alcohol for a while.

Collocation dictionary

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¹ use bad language

ADV.

loudly | quietly, silently, softly, under your breath | viciously, violently

VERB + SWEAR

hear sb

He heard her swear under her breath.

PREP.

at

He swore loudly at her and left.

² make a serious promise

ADV.

solemnly

He swore solemnly that he would never hit her again.

| on oath

VERB + SWEAR

be prepared to

I would be prepared to swear on oath that they didn't see me.

| make sb

He made her swear on the Bible that she wouldn't leave him.

PREP.

by

I swear by Almighty God to tell the truth.

| to

I swear to you, I don't know anything.

PHRASES

swear sb to secrecy/silence

We were all sworn to secrecy about the plan.

Concise English dictionary

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swore|sworn|swears|swearingswer /sweə
verb
+utter obscenities or profanities
+to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
+promise solemnly; take an oath
+make a deposition; declare under oath
+have confidence or faith in