Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb 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.
  • intransitive verb To make a solemn promise; vow.
  • intransitive verb To use obscene or blasphemous language; curse.
  • intransitive verb Law To commit oneself by oath to giving evidence or testimony that is truthful.
  • intransitive verb To declare or affirm solemnly by invoking a deity or a sacred person or thing.
  • intransitive verb To say or affirm earnestly and with great conviction.
  • intransitive verb To promise or pledge with a solemn oath; vow: synonym: promise.
  • intransitive verb To utter or bind oneself to (an oath).
  • intransitive verb Law To administer a legal oath to.
  • noun A swearword.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • See sweer.
  • To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God or to some superhuman being in confirmation of what is affirmed; declare or affirm something in a solemn manner by some sacred being or object, as the Bible or the Koran.
  • To promise something upon oath; vow; make a promise in a solemn manner.
  • To give evidence or make any statement on oath or with an oath; also, to declare solemnly, without an oath, as to the truth of something.
  • To use profane language; be profane; practise profaneness; use the name or names of God irreverently in common conversation; utter profane oaths; curse.
  • To be incongruous or inharmonious (with): followed by at: often said of colors.
  • To utter or affirm with a solemn appeal to God, a divinity, or something held to be sacred for the truth of the declaration: as, to swear an oath.
  • To promise in a solemn manner; vow.
  • To put to an oath; cause to take an oath; bind by an oath: as, to swear witnesses in court; to swear a jury.
  • To declare or charge upon oath: as, to swear treason against a man.
  • To appeal to by an oath; call to witness.
  • To utter in a profane manner.
  • noun An oath.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To utter or affirm with a solemn appeal to God for the truth of the declaration; to make (a promise, threat, or resolve) under oath.
  • transitive verb (Law) To put to an oath; to cause to take an oath; to administer an oath to; -- ofetn followed by in or into.
  • transitive verb To declare or charge upon oath.
  • transitive verb To appeal to by an oath.
  • transitive verb 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 that he will keep the peace.
  • intransitive verb To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed; to make a promise, threat, or resolve on oath; also, to affirm solemnly by some sacred object, or one regarded as sacred, as the Bible, the Koran, etc.
  • intransitive verb (Law) To give evidence on oath.
  • intransitive verb To make an appeal to God in an irreverant manner; to use the name of God or sacred things profanely; to call upon God in imprecation; to curse.
  • intransitive verb to place great confidence in a person or thing; to trust implicitly as an authority.
  • intransitive verb [Slang] to make a solemn vow, or a serious resolution, to abstain from something.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Heavy.
  • adjective Top-heavy; too high.
  • adjective Dull; heavy; lazy; slow; reluctant; unwilling.
  • adjective Niggardly.
  • adjective A lazy time; a short rest during working hours (especially field labour); a siesta.
  • verb To be lazy; rest for a short while during working hours.
  • noun A swearword.
  • verb intransitive (transitive) To take an oath.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

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

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English swer, swar, from Old English swǣr, swār ("heavy, heavy as a burden, of great weight, oppressive, grievous, painful, unpleasant, sad, feeling or expressing grief, grave, slow, dull, sluggish, slothful, indolent, inactive from weakness, enfeebled, weak"), from Proto-Germanic *swēraz (“heavy”), from Proto-Indo-European *swēr- (“heavy”). Cognate with West Frisian swier ("heavy"), Dutch zwaar ("heavy, hard, difficult"), German schwer ("heavy, hard, difficult"), Swedish svår ("heavy, hard, severe"), Latin sērius ("earnest, grave, solemn, serious") and Albanian varrë ("wound,plague").

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English sweren, swerien, from Old English swerian ("to swear, take an oath of office"), from Proto-Germanic *swarjanan (“to speak, swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to speak, talk”). Cognate with West Frisian swarre ("to swear"), Eastern Frisian swera ("to swear"), Dutch zweren ("to swear, vow"), Low German swören ("to swear"), German schwören ("to swear"), Swedish svära ("to swear"), Icelandic sverja ("to swear"). Cognate to Albanian var ("to hang, consider, to depend from").

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Examples

  • Now thats what I call a swear word he must have been a brave lad and New that Brownie would use it.

    He said what? 2008

  • But the good thing which came of it was learning how to eat like a diabetic which I swear is the most sensible way to go.

    Cheeseburger Gothic » Burger Lite 26 Feb 2010

  • I divided the goods up amongst the huddled masses - my Dad et al on one hand, Andrew on the other, and the remnants from the batch probably winding up in the stomach of one particular co-worker of my mom's (who we swear is stalking her - or has cookie-radar built into his glasses!).

    Archive 2009-02-01 Sarah 2009

  • I divided the goods up amongst the huddled masses - my Dad et al on one hand, Andrew on the other, and the remnants from the batch probably winding up in the stomach of one particular co-worker of my mom's (who we swear is stalking her - or has cookie-radar built into his glasses!).

    Why Not? Sarah 2009

  • The intention to swear is there and saying "Frick" just conveys the meaning while protecting your ass.

    Archive 2009-11-01 Tyler 2009

  • I have a 4 year old Boykin that I would swear is part mule.

    Welcome to the New F&S Dog Blog 2009

  • Comments posted to BBC blogs will be removed if they are considered likely to provoke, attack or offend others; are racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, abusive or otherwise objectionable; are considered to have been posted with an intention to disrupt; contain swear words (including abbreviations or alternative spellings) or other language likely to offend.

    Archive 2009-04-01 2009

  • The intention to swear is there and saying "Frick" just conveys the meaning while protecting your ass.

    Does "Frick" = "Fuck"? Tyler 2009

  • I have a 4 year old Boykin that I would swear is part mule.

    Welcome to the New F&S Dog Blog 2009

  • Comments posted to BBC blogs will be removed if they are considered likely to provoke, attack or offend others; are racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, abusive or otherwise objectionable; are considered to have been posted with an intention to disrupt; contain swear words (including abbreviations or alternative spellings) or other language likely to offend.

    It's moderation, Jim, but not as we know it. 2009

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