swear
verb/sweə(r)/
/swer/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they swear | /sweə(r)/ /swer/ |
| he / she / it swears | /sweəz/ /swerz/ |
| past simple swore | /swɔː(r)/ /swɔːr/ |
| past participle sworn | /swɔːn/ /swɔːrn/ |
| -ing form swearing | /ˈsweərɪŋ/ /ˈswerɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] 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.
- He heard her swear under her breath.
- She was shouting, swearing, and acting in an aggressive manner towards the staff
- swear at somebody/something Why did you let him swear at you like that?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- loudly
- quietly
- silently
- …
- hear somebody
- at
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- [transitive, no passive] to make a serious promise to do something synonym vow
- swear something He swore revenge on the man who had killed his father.
- swear (that)… I solemnly swear (that) it will never happen again.
- I swear (that) I’ll never leave you.
- He swore solemnly that he would never hit her again. ‘That’ is usually left out, especially in speech.
- swear to do something She made him swear not to tell anyone.
- He left, swearing never to return.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- solemnly
- on oath
- under oath
- …
- be prepared to
- make somebody
- by
- on
- to
- …
- be sworn into office
- swear somebody to secrecy
- swear somebody to silence
- …
- [transitive] to promise that you are telling the truth
- swear (that)… She swore (that) she’d never seen him before.
- I could have sworn (= I am sure) I heard the phone ring.
- swear to somebody/on something (that)… I swear to God I had nothing to do with it.
Extra Examples- I think I put the keys back in the drawer, but I couldn't swear to it.
- I swear to you, I don't know anything.
- He swears up and down that he trusts me.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- solemnly
- on oath
- under oath
- …
- be prepared to
- make somebody
- by
- on
- to
- …
- be sworn into office
- swear somebody to secrecy
- swear somebody to silence
- …
- [intransitive, transitive] to make a public or official promise, especially in court
- swear on something Witnesses were required to swear on the Bible.
- swear that… Are you willing to stand up in court and swear that you don't recognize him?
- swear to do something Remember, you have sworn to tell the truth.
- swear something Barons had to swear an oath of allegiance to the king.
- I swear by Almighty God to tell the truth.
- They refused to swear allegiance to the new ruler.
More Like This Verbs usually followed by infinitivesVerbs usually followed by infinitivesOxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- solemnly
- on oath
- under oath
- …
- be prepared to
- make somebody
- by
- on
- to
- …
- be sworn into office
- swear somebody to secrecy
- swear somebody to silence
- …
- [transitive] swear somebody to secrecy/silence to make somebody promise not to tell something to anyone
- Everyone was sworn to secrecy about what had happened.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- solemnly
- on oath
- under oath
- …
- be prepared to
- make somebody
- by
- on
- to
- …
- be sworn into office
- swear somebody to secrecy
- swear somebody to silence
- …
Word OriginOld English swerian of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zweren, German schwören, also to answer.
Idioms
See swear in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryswear blind
- (informal) to say that something is definitely true
- He swore blind that he’d already paid back the money he owed me.
- He swore blind that you knew all about it.
swear like a trooper
- (old-fashioned, British English) to often use very rude or offensive language
Check pronunciation:
swear