swear

Meanings

Verb

• To take an oath, to promise.
• To use offensive, profane, or obscene language.
• To be lazy; rest for a short while during working hours.

Noun

• A swear word.

Adjective

• Heavy.
• Top-heavy; too high.
• Dull; heavy; lazy; slow; reluctant; unwilling.
• Niggardly.
• A lazy time; a short rest during working hours (especially field labour); a siesta.

Origin

• From Middle English sweren, swerien, from Old English swerian, from Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *swer-.
• Cognate with West Frisian swarre, Saterland Frisian swera, Dutch zweren, Low German swören, sweren, German schwören, Danish sværge, Swedish svära, Icelandic sverja, Russian свара. Also cognate to Albanian var through Proto-Indo-European.
• The original sense in all Germanic languages is “to take an oath”. The sense “to use bad language” developed in Middle English and is based on the Christian prohibition against swearing in general (cf. Matthew 5:33-37) and invoking God’s name in particular (i.e. frequent swearing was considered similar to the use of obscene words).
• From the above verb, or from Middle English sware, from Old English swaru, from Proto-Germanic *swarō.
• From Middle English swere, swer, swar, from Old English swǣr, swār, from Proto-West Germanic *swār, from Proto-Germanic *swēraz, from Proto-Indo-European *swer-.
• Cognate with West Frisian swier, Dutch zwaar, German schwer, Swedish svår, Latin sērius and Albanian varrë.