To swear off

To swear off
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["a]rja, Dan. sv[ae]rge, 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. [1913 Webster]

Ye shall swear by my name falsely. --Lev. xix. 12. [1913 Webster]

I swear by all the Roman gods. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. (Law) To give evidence on oath; as, to swear to the truth of a statement; he swore against the prisoner. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

[I] swore little; diced not above seven times a week. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{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] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • swear off something — ˌswear ˈoff sth derived (informal) to promise that you will not do or use sth again • I decided to swear off burgers forever. • He has sworn off drinking, drugs and clubs. Main entry: ↑sw …   Useful english dictionary

  • swear off — ► swear off informal promise to abstain from. Main Entry: ↑swear …   English terms dictionary

  • swear off something — swear off (something) to decide to stop doing or using something. He says he has sworn off candy. She won $10,000 on the slots and was so shocked, she swore off gambling completely …   New idioms dictionary

  • swear off — (something) to decide to stop doing or using something. He says he has sworn off candy. She won $10,000 on the slots and was so shocked, she swore off gambling completely …   New idioms dictionary

  • swear off — index forgo, refrain, renounce Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • swear off — verb promise to abstain from (Freq. 2) I have sworn off cigarettes altogether • Hypernyms: ↑promise, ↑assure • Verb Frames: Somebody s something * * * (informal) …   Useful english dictionary

  • swear off — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms swear off : present tense I/you/we/they swear off he/she/it swears off present participle swearing off past tense swore off past participle sworn off swear off something to promise to stop doing or using… …   English dictionary

  • swear off — phrasal to vow to abstain from ; renounce < swear off smoking > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • swear off — verb To quit or cease completely, or to promise to quit, as of a bad habit. One of these days, he thinks he will swear off his nightly television regimen and get some exercise …   Wiktionary

  • swear off — I (Roget s IV) v. Syn. quit, reform, resolve; see halt 2 , suspend 2 , stop 1 . II (Roget s 3 Superthesaurus) v. give up, abjure, renounce, forswear, forego, quit, *turn one s back on. III (Roget s Thesaurus II) I verb Informal. To cease trying… …   English dictionary for students

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