forswear

for·swear

verb \fȯr-ˈswer\

for·swore\-ˈswȯr\for·sworn\-ˈswȯrn\for·swear·ing

Definition of FORSWEAR

transitive verb

1

: to make a liar of (oneself) under or as if under oath

2

a : to reject or renounce under oath

b : to renounce earnestly

3

: to deny under oath

intransitive verb

: to swear falsely

Variants of FORSWEAR

for·swear also fore·swear \fȯr-ˈswer\

Examples of FORSWEAR

1. She forswore her allegiance to the old regime.
2. He foreswore cigarettes as his New Year's resolution.

Origin of FORSWEAR

Middle English forsweren, from Old English forswerian, from for- + swerian to swear

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to FORSWEAR

Synonyms

abnegate, abjure (also foreswear), recant, renege, renounce, repeal, repudiate, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw

Antonyms

adhere (to)

Related Words

contradict, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, gainsay, negate, negative; abandon, bolt, forsake, give up, relinquish, spurn, surrender; controvert, disagree (with), disprove, dispute, rebut, refute; back down, back off, backtrack; disallow, recall, revoke

Near Antonyms

acknowledge, admit, affirm, assert, avow, claim, contend, declare, maintain, proclaim, profess, state, vouch, vow; back, confirm, defend, endorse (also indorse), espouse, maintain, support, uphold; accept, adopt, embrace

See Synonym Discussion at abjure

Rhymes with FORSWEAR

affair, aglare, airfare, Ajmer, Altair, antbear, armchair, au pair, aware, bakeware, barware, Basseterre, Baudelaire, beachwear, bergère, beware, bid fair, big hair, black bear, bricklayer, broodmare, brown bear, bugbear, caneware, carfare, Carrère, cave bear, chi-square, clayware, club chair, compare, compere, confrere, cookware, corsair, courseware, creamware, crosshair, cudbear, daymare, dead air, decare, deck chair, declare, delftware, despair, dishware, éclair, elsewhere, ensnare, eyewear, fanfare, fieldfare, firmware, flatware, Flaubert, footwear, forbear, forebear, foursquare, freeware, funfair, galère, giftware, glassware, Great Bear, groupware, Gruyère, guard hair, hardware, health care, hectare, high chair, horsehair, hot air, impair, infare, Khmer, Kildare, knitwear, life-care, light air, longhair, loungewear, Mayfair, menswear, meunière, midair, mohair, Molière, neckwear, nightmare, no fair, outstare, out-there, outwear, playwear, plein air, plowshare, Poor Clare, Port Blair, portiere, premiere, prepare, pushchair, rainwear, redware, repair, root hair, Sancerre, sea hare, shank's mare, shareware, shorthair, side chair, Sinclair, skiwear, sleepwear, slipware, sloth bear, software, somewhere, spongeware, sportswear, stemware, stoneware, sun bear, swimwear, threadbare, tinware, torchère, trouvère, tuyere, unfair, unhair, unswear, Voltaire, warfare, welfare, wheelchair, wirehair, workfare