forswear

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word forswear. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word forswear, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say forswear in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word forswear you have here. The definition of the word forswear will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition offorswear, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English forsweren, from Old English forswerian (“to swear falsely”). Cognate with Old Saxon farswerian, Old High German farsweren, German verschwören. More at for- +‎ swear.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fə(ɹ)ˈswɛə(ɹ)/, /fɔː(ɹ)ˈswɛə(ɹ)/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)

Verb

forswear (third-person singular simple present forswears, present participle forswearing, simple past forswore, past participle forsworn)

  1. (transitive) To renounce or deny something, especially under oath.
    We forswear allegiance and support for the Economic Freedom Fighters.
    • 1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew:
      Never to woo her more; but do forswear her.
    • 1726, John Dryden, translating Juvenal, Satires‎:
      Like Innocence, and as serenely bold / As Truth, how loudly He forswears thy Gold!.
    • 1995, Philip Roth, Sabbath's Theater‎:
      Either forswear fucking others or the affair is over.
    • 2008, Philip Roth, Indignation:
      The sheer unimaginableness of coming into her mouth — of coming into anything other than the air or a tissue or a dirty sock — was an allurement too stupendous for a novice to forswear.
  2. (intransitive or reflexive) To commit perjury; to break an oath.

Translations

Anagrams

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia