From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Swear \Swear\, v. i. [imp. {Swore}, formerly {Sware}; p. p.
{Sworn}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Swearing}.] [OE. swerien, AS.
swerian; akin to D. zweren, OS. swerian, OHG. swerien, G.
schw["o]ren, Icel. sverja, Sw. sv[aum]rja, Dan. svaerge,
Icel. & Sw. svara to answer, Dan. svare, Dan. & Sw. svar an
answer, Goth. swaran to swear, and perhaps to E. swarm.
[root]177. Cf. {Answer}.]
1. 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.
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Ye shall swear by my name falsely. --Lev. xix.
12.
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I swear by all the Roman gods. --Shak.
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2. (Law) To give evidence on oath; as, to swear to the truth
of a statement; he swore against the prisoner.
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3. 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.
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[I] swore little; diced not above seven times a
week. --Shak.
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{To swear by}, to place great confidence in a person or
thing; to trust implicitly as an authority. "I simply
meant to ask if you are one of those who swear by Lord
Verulam." --Miss Edgeworth.
{To swear off}, to make a solemn vow, or a serious
resolution, to abstain from something; as, to swear off
smoking. [Slang]
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Swearing \Swear"ing\,
a. & n. from {Swear}, v.
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Idle swearing is a cursedness. --Chaucer.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
swearing
n 1: profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger;
"expletives were deleted" [syn: {curse}, {curse word},
{expletive}, {oath}, {swearing}, {swearword}, {cuss}]
2: a commitment to tell the truth (especially in a court of
law); to lie under oath is to become subject to prosecution
for perjury [syn: {oath}, {swearing}]
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