swore
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Wikipedia.
Related to swore: Machinations
Like this video? Subscribe to our free daily email and get a new idiom video every day!
swear (one) to secrecy
To make one promise that they won't reveal something that they know about. The company swore me to secrecy before promoting me to work on their latest product. OK, I'll tell you, but I have to swear you to secrecy!
swear a blue streak
To use profane language with great rapidity and intensity. My dad swore a blue streak after he found out I'd put a dent in his car.
swear a warrant out
To file a judicial writ for some legal action to be taken, usually the arrest or detention of someone. The police swore a warrant out for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swore warrants out against the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore a warrant out to have her ex-husband arrested, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
swear a warrant out for (someone or something)
To file a judicial writ for someone to be arrested or detained. The police swore a warrant out for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swore warrants out for the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore a warrant out for her ex-husband, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
swear a warrant out on (one)
To file a judicial writ for one to be arrested or detained. The police swore a warrant out on the CFO after evidence of his embezzlement emerged. They're not going to swear a warrant out on him unless you're willing to testify. Community services swore warrants out on the children for them to be taken into custody by the state.
swear at (someone or something)
To utter a curse or similarly vulgar or abusive language toward someone or something. Don't you dare swear at me like that—who taught you such filthy words? The player stormed off the field swearing at the referee.
See also: swear
swear blind
To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. Janet has sworn blind that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her.
swear by (someone or something)
1. To have and proclaim one's complete faith or confidence in someone or something. Not everyone believes that magnets have healing properties, but I've sworn by them for years—they're the only thing that's given me relief from back pain! You should ask our accountant to have a look at your tax returns. He's always been able to save us money, so we swear by him!
2. To make a very serious, solemn pledge or oath, especially that something will happen or that one is telling the truth. The person or thing following "by" is typically someone or something that one loves or respects. I swear by my mother's grave that I will get revenge on the people who wronged you. He swore by God that he was telling the truth.
3. To be certain of or sure about something. That should fix the connectivity issues with the servers, but I can't swear by it until I've had a chance to run some tests.
swear down
1. An exclamation of one's truthfulness. Primarily heard in UK. It was Tommy who bungled up the report, not me. Swear down!
2. To swear to someone that what one has said is true. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "swear" and "down." Primarily heard in UK. She swore me down that she didn't take the money.
swear in
To administer an oath to someone as part of the official process of taking public office. A noun or pronoun can be used between "swear" and "in." The current president was sworn in after his predecessor died of a sudden heart attack. We will swear you in as newly qualified members of the police force at the end of the ceremony.
See also: swear
swear like a sailor
To use profanities or vulgar language very freely and fluently. (An allusion to the rough language presumed to be used by military personnel.) My little sister has been swearing like a sailor ever since she started learning bad words. My granny is the sweetest old lady you'll ever meet, but she swears like a sailor when she gets on the topic of something or someone she doesn't like.
swear like a trooper
To use profanities or vulgar language very freely and fluently. (An allusion to the rough language presumed to be used by military personnel.) My granny is the sweetest old lady you'll ever meet, but she swears like a trooper when she gets on the topic of something or someone she doesn't like.
swear off (something)
To promise, pledge, or be determined not to do, use, eat, or imbibe something anymore. Thank you, but I don't drink. I swore off alcohol when my father was killed by a drunk driver. Jack swore off cigarettes for his New Year's resolution.
swear on (one's) mother's grave
To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. Janet has sworn on her mother's grave that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her. I swear on my mother's grave that if I have a chance to help your campaign, I will.
swear on (someone or something)
To make a very serious, solemn pledge or oath, especially that one is telling the truth. The person or thing following "on" is typically someone or something that one loves or respects. Janet has sworn on her mother's grave that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her. I swear on my children that I will get revenge on the people that wronged you. You have to swear on the Bible when you testify in court.
swear on a stack of Bibles
To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. A hyperbolic reference to the traditional act of placing one's hand on a Bible while taking an oath, such as before a court proceeding. Janet has sworn on a stack of Bibles that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her. I swear on a stack of Bibles that if I have a chance to help your campaign, I will.
swear out
1. Of a police officer, to make a written declaration under oath in the presence of an authorized person, especially to use as evidence or in order to obtain a warrant. The disgraced cop admitted to swearing out false affidavits to confound investigations in return for bribes from the notorious crime syndicate. The judge swore out a warrant to search the suspect's home, but it was never served by police.
2. To issue a litany of profane language as a reprimand or attack against someone. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "swear" and "out." He stood there swearing out the driver that nearly backed into his car. The boss swore me out for a good five minutes for messing up the accounts so badly.
swear out a warrant
To file a judicial writ for some legal action to be taken, usually the arrest or detention of someone. The police swear out a warrant for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swear out warrants against the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore out a warrant to have her ex-husband arrested, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
swear out a warrant for (someone or something)
To file a judicial writ for one to be arrested or detained. The police swore out a warrant for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swear out warrants for the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore out a warrant for her ex-husband, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
swear out a warrant on (one)
To file a judicial writ for one to be arrested or detained. The police swore out a warrant on the CFO after evidence of his embezzlement emerged. They're not going to swear out a warrant on him unless you're willing to testify. Community services swore out warrants on the children for them to be taken into custody by the state.
swear to
1. To make someone promise to maintain or uphold some state or condition. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "swear" and "to." She told me about her plans to elope and then swore me to secrecy. We were allowed to test out the product ourselves, but we've been sworn to silence about details of its appearance or functionality.
2. To make a pledge or promise about the state of something. I can't swear to its accuracy, but if true, this report paints a bleak picture for the company. That's the gist of what was said, though I won't swear to any specific details.
3. To make a pledge or promise to give something to someone or something. In order to obtain citizenship, you must swear allegiance to the country, its government, and its laws. I swear fealty to you, my lord.
See also: swear
swear up and down
To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. Janet has sworn up and down that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
swear like a trooper
to curse and swear with great facility. (The trooper here refers to a soldier.) Mrs. Wilson was known to swear like a trooper on occasion. The clerk started swearing like a trooper, and the customer started crying.
swear on a stack of Bibles
and swear on one's mother's graveto state something very earnestly, pledging to tell the truth. (~ a Stack of Bibles refers in an exaggerated way to swearing to tell the truth in court by placing one's hand on a Bible.) I swear on a stack of Bibles that I am telling the truth. Of course, I'm telling the truth. I swear on my mother's grave!
swear someone in (as something)
to administer an oath to someone who then officially begins in office. The judge swore Alice in as street commissioner. The judge swore in Alice as the new director.
See also: swear
swear someone to something
to cause someone to take an oath pledging something, such as silence or secrecy, about something. I swore Larry to secrecy, but he told anyway. We were sworn to silence about the new product.
See also: swear
swear something to someone
to pledge or promise something to someone. I had to swear my allegiance to the general before I could become one of his bodyguards. We swore our loyalty to our country.
See also: swear
swear to something
to claim that what one says is absolutely true. It is true. I swear to it. I think I have remembered it all, but I couldn't swear to it.
See also: swear
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
swear in
Administer a legal or official oath to, as in The new mayor will be sworn in tomorrow. [c. 1700]
See also: swear
swear like a trooper
Freely utter profanity or obscenity, as in The teacher was shocked when she heard one of the fathers begin to swear like a trooper. The troopers in this term were the cavalry, who were singled out for their swearing from the early 1700s on.
swear on a stack of Bibles
Promise solemnly that what one is about to say is true, as in I swear on a stack of Bibles that I had nothing to do with his dropping out. This term alludes to the practice of placing one's hand on a sacred object while taking an oath, which dates from the mid-10th century. It is still followed in courts of law where a witness being sworn to tell the truth places a hand on the Bible. [Mid-1800s]
swear out
Obtain a warrant for arrest by making a charge under oath, as in The school principal swore out a warrant for the arrest of the vandals. [Late 1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
swear on a stack of Bibles
If someone swears on a stack of Bibles that something is true, they emphasize their promise that it is true. Our leaders swore on a stack of Bibles there was plenty of oil, and, of course, we wanted to believe them.
swear blind
BRITISH orswear up and down
AMERICANIf someone swears blind that something is true, they insist that they are telling you the truth. He swore blind that he hadn't taken the money. He swears blind that he bears no grudges against Manchester United for sacking him, but I don't know if I believe him.
swear like a trooper
If someone swears like a trooper, they swear a lot. Mo was rude and abusive and swore like a trooper. Note: Nouns such as sailor or marine are sometimes used instead of trooper. The show has a heroine who drinks like a fish and swears like a sailor. Note: A trooper is a soldier.
swear up and down
AMERICANIf someone swears up and down that something is true, they insist very strongly that they are telling you the truth. He swore up and down he was going to get the cash and bring it right back. I couldn't get it out of my head that maybe it was all part of his plan, although he swore up and down it wasn't. Note: The usual British expression is swear blind.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
swear blind
affirm something in an emphatic manner. British informalA North American variant of this expression is swear up and down .
swear like a trooper
swear a great deal.A trooper was originally a private soldier in a cavalry unit. Troopers were proverbial for their coarse behaviour and bad language at least as early as the mid 18th century: in Pamela ( 1739–40 ), Samuel Richardson writes ‘she curses and storms at me like a Trooper’. Compare with lie like a trooper (at lie).
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
swear like a ˈtrooper
(old-fashioned, British English) use many swear words; use bad language: She’s only fourteen, but she swears like a trooper.A trooper is a soldier.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
swear in
v.
To administer a legal or official oath to someone: The police department swore in 15 new officers. The Chief Justice will swear the new President in.
See also: swear
swear out
v.
To obtain some warrant for arrest by making a charge under oath: The victims swore out a warrant against their attacker.
swear to
v.
To utter or bind someone to some oath: She swore her friends to secrecy before telling them what happened. The man wanted to confess, but he was sworn to silence.
See also: swear
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
swear like a trooper
in. to curse and swear with great facility. The clerk started swearing like a trooper, and the customer started crying.
swear on a stack of Bibles
in. to make a very solemn pledge of one’s honesty. (Folksy. Official oaths are sometimes taken with one hand on a Bible. This phrase implies that more Bibles make an even stronger oath.) I swear on a stack of Bibles that I was in Atlanta on the night of January sixteenth.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.