swear meaning
swear :
promise, oath
noun
▪ He made a swear to tell the truth.
▪ He made a promise to tell the truth.
▪ She broke her swear.
▪ She broke her promise.
paraphrasing
▪ oath – promise
▪ vow – strong promise
▪ pledge – serious promise
swear :
promise, use bad words
verb
▪ I swear to help you.
▪ I promise to help you.
▪ He swears when he is angry.
▪ He uses bad words when he is angry.
paraphrasing
▪ promise – to commit
▪ curse – to use bad words
▪ vow – to make a strong promise
Pronunciation
swear [swɛər]
The stress is on the whole word and sounds like 'swair'.
Common phrases and grammar about swear
swear - Common meaning
noun
promise, oath
verb
promise, use bad words
Part of Speech Changes for "swear"
▪ swearing (noun) – using bad words
▪ sworn (adjective) – promised or confirmed
Common Expressions with "swear"
▪ swear an oath – to make a promise
▪ swear in court – to promise to tell the truth
▪ swear allegiance – to promise loyalty
▪ swear off – to promise to stop doing something
Important examples of swear in TOEIC
Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC vocabulary questions, swear is often used to mean making a strong promise or using bad words.
Example of a confusing word: assure (to make someone confident)
Grammar examples from the TOEIC test
Swear is used as a verb in grammar questions, often requiring an object or context for promising or using bad words.
swear
Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC
swear an oath
'make a strong promise', often used in formal settings.
swear like a sailor
means 'to use a lot of bad words'.
Differences between similar words and swear
swear
,
promise
differences
Swear is often used for strong promises or using bad words, while promise is generally used for commitments.
swear
,
curse
differences
Swear can mean using bad words or making a promise, while curse specifically means using bad words.
Words with the same origin as swear
The origin of swear
Swear comes from the Old English 'swerian', meaning to take an oath or make a solemn declaration.
Word structure
It has the root 'swer' (to speak solemnly), and means 'to make a solemn promise'.
Words with the same origin
The word's root is unclear or difficult to confirm.
