English verb: swear | |||
1. | swear (communication) utter obscenities or profanities | ||
Samples | The drunken men were cursing loudly in the street. | ||
Synonyms | blaspheme, curse, cuss, imprecate | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | express, give tongue to, utter, verbalise, verbalize | ||
Verb group | blaspheme | ||
2. | swear (communication) to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true | ||
Samples | Before God I swear I am innocent. | ||
Examples | They swear that there was a traffic accident | ||
Synonyms | affirm, assert, aver, avow, swan, verify | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s that CLAUSE | ||
Broader (hypernym) | declare | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | assure, attest, claim, declare, hold, protest, take, tell | ||
3. | swear (communication) promise solemnly; take an oath | ||
Examples | They swear to move | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s something to somebody. Somebody ----s that CLAUSE. Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE | ||
Broader (hypernym) | vow | ||
4. | swear (communication) make a deposition; declare under oath | ||
Synonyms | depone, depose | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s that CLAUSE | ||
Broader (hypernym) | declare | ||
5. | swear (cognition) have confidence or faith in | ||
Samples | We can trust in God. Rely on your friends. Bank on your good education. I swear by my grandmother's recipes. | ||
Synonyms | bank, rely, trust | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | believe | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | bet, calculate, count, credit, depend, lean, look, reckon | ||
Antonyms | distrust, mistrust, suspect | ||