{
    "term": "swear",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "swear",
            "heSheIt": "swears"
        },
        "pastSimple": "swore",
        "pastParticiple": "sworn",
        "ingForm": "swearing"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to use rude or offensive language, usually because you are angry",
            "sensetop": "swear at somebody/something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She fell over and swore loudly."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I don't like to hear children swearing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He heard her swear under her breath."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was shouting, swearing, and acting in an aggressive manner towards the staff"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Why did you let him swear at you like that?",
                    "contextForm": "swear at somebody/something"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["loudly", "quietly", "silently"],
                "verb + swear": ["hear somebody"],
                "preposition": ["at"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to make a serious promise to do something",
            "sensetop": "swear somethingswear (that)…swear to do something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He swore revenge on the man who had killed his father.",
                    "contextForm": "swear something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I **solemnly swear** (that) it will never happen again.",
                    "contextForm": "swear (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I swear (that) I’ll never leave you."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swore solemnly that he would never hit her again."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She made him swear not to tell anyone.",
                    "contextForm": "swear to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He left, swearing never to return."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "vow",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["solemnly", "on oath", "under oath"],
                "verb + swear": ["be prepared to", "make somebody"],
                "preposition": ["by", "on", "to"],
                "phrases": [
                    "be sworn into office",
                    "swear somebody to secrecy",
                    "swear somebody to silence"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to promise that you are telling the truth",
            "sensetop": "swear (that)…swear to somebody/on something (that)…",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She swore (that) she’d never seen him before.",
                    "contextForm": "swear (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I **could have sworn** *(= I am sure)* I heard the phone ring."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**I swear to God** I had nothing to do with it.",
                    "contextForm": "swear to somebody/on something (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I think I put the keys back in the drawer, but I couldn't swear to it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I swear to you, I don't know anything."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swears up and down that he trusts me."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["solemnly", "on oath", "under oath"],
                "verb + swear": ["be prepared to", "make somebody"],
                "preposition": ["by", "on", "to"],
                "phrases": [
                    "be sworn into office",
                    "swear somebody to secrecy",
                    "swear somebody to silence"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to make a public or official promise, especially in court",
            "sensetop": "swear on somethingswear that…swear to do somethingswear something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Witnesses were required to swear on the Bible.",
                    "contextForm": "swear on something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Are you willing to stand up in court and swear that you don't recognize him?",
                    "contextForm": "swear that…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Remember, you have sworn to tell the truth.",
                    "contextForm": "swear to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Barons had to **swear an oath** of allegiance to the king.",
                    "contextForm": "swear something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I swear by Almighty God to tell the truth."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They refused to swear allegiance to the new ruler."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["solemnly", "on oath", "under oath"],
                "verb + swear": ["be prepared to", "make somebody"],
                "preposition": ["by", "on", "to"],
                "phrases": [
                    "be sworn into office",
                    "swear somebody to secrecy",
                    "swear somebody to silence"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to make somebody promise not to tell something to anyone",
            "sensetop": "swear somebody to secrecy/silence",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Everyone was sworn to secrecy about what had happened."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["solemnly", "on oath", "under oath"],
                "verb + swear": ["be prepared to", "make somebody"],
                "preposition": ["by", "on", "to"],
                "phrases": [
                    "be sworn into office",
                    "swear somebody to secrecy",
                    "swear somebody to silence"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to say that something is definitely true",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He swore blind that he’d already paid back the money he owed me."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swore blind that you knew all about it."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to often use very rude or offensive language",
            "labels": "(old-fashioned, British English)",
            "examples": []
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/sweə(r)/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swear__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/sweəz/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swears__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɔː(r)/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swore__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɔːn/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/sworn__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈsweərɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swearing__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swer/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swear__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swerz/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swears__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɔːr/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swore__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swɔːrn/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/sworn__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈswerɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/swear/swearing__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English swerian of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zweren, German schwören, also to answer."
}