sweren

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch sweren, from Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *swer-.

Verb

swēren

1. to swear, to declare solemnly
2. to swear, to curse

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Alternative forms

• swerren

Descendants

• Dutch: zweren
  • Afrikaans: sweer
  • Negerhollands: sweer
• Limburgish: zwaere

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *sweran, from Proto-Germanic *sweraną.

Verb

swēren

1. to hurt, to be painful

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: zweren

Further reading

• “sweren (III)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• “sweren (IV)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “sweren (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “sweren (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page II

Middle English

Alternative forms

• suere, suerie, swer, swere, swerie, swerien, swern
• sweriȝen (Early Middle English); swærie (Laȝamon's Brut)
• sqwer, sueren, sweryn (East Anglia); zuerie (Kent); sweore, swerye (West Midland); squere (Northwest Midland)

Etymology

Inherited from Old English swerian, from Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną; a cognate of Middle Low German sweren, Old Swedish sværia, Old Danish swæriæ, Middle Dutch swēren, and Middle High German swern.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswɛ̞ːrən/
• IPA^(key): /ˈzwɛri.ə(n)/ (early, Southern or Southwest Midland)

Verb

sweren (third-person singular simple present swereth, present participle swerynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative swor, past participle sworen)

1. (ambitransitive) To swear to do; to take an oath:
   1. (transitive) To take an oath that an assertion is true.
   2. To swear upon an object or (a human or divine) witness.
   3. To swear to adhere or remain faithful to a given person.
   4. (rare) To grant permission by taking an oath.
2. (intransitive) To give testimony as a (sworn) witness.
3. (intransitive) To curse; to utter swear words (especially as part of a promise)
4. (intransitive) To plot or collude; to form a conspiracy or secret pact.
5. (intransitive, rare) To proclaim or commence.

Usage notes

• Occasional weak forms are also found throughout the Middle English period.

Conjugation

Conjugation of sweren (strong class 6/4)

infinitive	(to) sweren, swere
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	swere	swor, swar
2nd-person singular	swerest	swore1, sware1
3rd-person singular	swereth	swor, swar
subjunctive singular	swere	swore2, sware2
imperative singular		—
plural3	sweren, swere	sworen, swore, swaren, sware
imperative plural	swereth, swere	—
participles	swerynge, swerende	sworen, swore, sworn, ysworen, yswore, ysworn

¹ Later replaced by the 1st-/3rd-person singular or sworest, swarest.
² Later replaced by the indicative.
³ Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Related terms

• forsweren
• swerere
• swerynge

Descendants

• English: swear
• Middle Scots: swere, sweir
  • Scots: sweer, sweir

References

• “swēren, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-12-3.

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną.

Verb

sweren

1. to swear (an oath)

Conjugation

Conjugation of sweren (strong class 6 j-present)

infinitive	sweren
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	swero, sweron	swuor
2nd person singular	sweris	swuori
3rd person singular	swerit	swuor
1st person plural	swerun	swuoron
2nd person plural	swerit	swuorot
3rd person plural	swerunt	swuoron
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	swere	swuori
2nd person singular	sweris	swuori
3rd person singular	swere	swuori
1st person plural	swerin	swuorin
2nd person plural	swerit	swuorit
3rd person plural	swerin	swuorin
imperative	present
singular	sweri
plural	swerit
participle	present	past
	swerendi	swaran, giswaran

Derived terms

• bisweren

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: swēren, swerren
  • Dutch: zweren
    • Afrikaans: sweer
    • Negerhollands: sweer
  • Limburgish: zwaere

Further reading

• “sweren”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old High German

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną, whence also Old Saxon swerian, Old English swerian, Old Norse sverja, Gothic 𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌽 (swaran). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swer-.

Alternative forms

• swerien, swerren

Verb

sweren

1. to swear

Descendants

• Middle High German: swern
  • Alemannic German: schwere
  • German: schwören
  • Luxembourgish: schwieren

Etymology 2

Verb

swërēn

1. third-person plural present subjunctive of swëran