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forswear

 - 4 dictionary results

for⋅swear

  [fawr-swair] verb, -swore, -sworn, -swearing.
Use forswear in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to reject or renounce under oath: to forswear an injurious habit.
2. to deny vehemently or under oath.
3. to perjure (oneself).
–verb (used without object)
4. to swear falsely; commit perjury.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME forsweren, OE forswerian. See for-, swear

Related forms:
for⋅swear⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. abjure, relinquish, forgo, forsake, abandon.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To forswear
for·swear also fore·swear   (fôr-swâr', fōr-)   
v.   for·swore also fore·swore (fôr-swôr', fōr-swōr'), for·sworn also fore·sworn (fôr-swôrn', fōr-swōrn'), for·swear·ing also fore·swear·ing, for·swears also fore·swears

v.   tr.

    1. To renounce or repudiate under oath.

    2. To renounce seriously.

  2. To disavow under oath; deny.

  3. To make (oneself) guilty of perjury.

v.   intr.
To swear falsely; commit perjury.

[Middle English forsweren, from Old English forswerian : for-, wrongly; see for- + swerian, to swear; see swear.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

forswear 
O.E. forswerian "swear falsely," also "abandon or renounce on oath," from for- "completely" + swerian "to swear."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: for·swear
Pronunciation: fOr-'swar
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -swore /-'swOr/; -sworn /-'swOrn/; -swear·ing
transitive verb 1 : to reject, renounce, or deny under oath
2 : to renounce earnestly intransitive verb : to swear falsely : commit false swearing
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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