word-vault

{ "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." }