swear – English verb conjugation

English verb forms of swear

Nominal Forms

Infinitive: to swear like a trooper
Participle: sworn like a trooper
Gerund: swearing like a trooper

Cognates

See the 7 cognates of swear

Indicative

Present

Iswear like a trooper
youswear like a trooper
he;she;itswears like a trooper
weswear like a trooper
youswear like a trooper
theyswear like a trooper

Perfect

Ihave sworn like a trooper
youhave sworn like a trooper
he;she;ithas sworn like a trooper
wehave sworn like a trooper
youhave sworn like a trooper
theyhave sworn like a trooper

Past

Iswore like a trooper
youswore like a trooper
he;she;itswore like a trooper
weswore like a trooper
youswore like a trooper
theyswore like a trooper

Pluperfect

Ihad sworn like a trooper
youhad sworn like a trooper
he;she;ithad sworn like a trooper
wehad sworn like a trooper
youhad sworn like a trooper
theyhad sworn like a trooper

Future

Iwill swear like a trooper
youwill swear like a trooper
he;she;itwill swear like a trooper
wewill swear like a trooper
youwill swear like a trooper
theywill swear like a trooper

Future Perfect

Iwill have sworn like a trooper
youwill have sworn like a trooper
he;she;itwill have sworn like a trooper
wewill have sworn like a trooper
youwill have sworn like a trooper
theywill have sworn like a trooper

Subjunctive

Present

Iswear like a trooper
youswear like a trooper
he;she;itswear like a trooper
weswear like a trooper
youswear like a trooper
theyswear like a trooper

Perfect

Ihave sworn like a trooper
youhave sworn like a trooper
he;she;ithave sworn like a trooper
wehave sworn like a trooper
youhave sworn like a trooper
theyhave sworn like a trooper

Imperfect

Iswore like a trooper
youswore like a trooper
he;she;itswore like a trooper
weswore like a trooper
youswore like a trooper
theyswore like a trooper

Pluperfect

Ihad sworn like a trooper
youhad sworn like a trooper
he;she;ithad sworn like a trooper
wehad sworn like a trooper
youhad sworn like a trooper
theyhad sworn like a trooper

Conditional

Present

Iwould swear like a trooper
youwould swear like a trooper
he;she;itwould swear like a trooper
wewould swear like a trooper
youwould swear like a trooper
theywould swear like a trooper

Perfect

Iwould have sworn like a trooper
youwould have sworn like a trooper
he;she;itwould have sworn like a trooper
wewould have sworn like a trooper
youwould have sworn like a trooper
theywould have sworn like a trooper

Imperative

youswear like a trooper
weLet's swear like a trooper
youswear like a trooper

Progressive (Continuous) Forms

Indicative

Present

Iam swearing like a trooper
youare swearing like a trooper
he;she;itis swearing like a trooper
weare swearing like a trooper
youare swearing like a trooper
theyare swearing like a trooper

Perfect

Ihave been swearing like a trooper
youhave been swearing like a trooper
he;she;ithas been swearing like a trooper
wehave been swearing like a trooper
youhave been swearing like a trooper
theyhave been swearing like a trooper

Past

Iwas swearing like a trooper
youwere swearing like a trooper
he;she;itwas swearing like a trooper
wewere swearing like a trooper
youwere swearing like a trooper
theywere swearing like a trooper

Pluperfect

Ihad been swearing like a trooper
youhad been swearing like a trooper
he;she;ithad been swearing like a trooper
wehad been swearing like a trooper
youhad been swearing like a trooper
theyhad been swearing like a trooper

Future

Iwill be swearing like a trooper
youwill be swearing like a trooper
he;she;itwill be swearing like a trooper
wewill be swearing like a trooper
youwill be swearing like a trooper
theywill be swearing like a trooper

Future Perfect

Iwill have been swearing like a trooper
youwill have been swearing like a trooper
he;she;itwill have been swearing like a trooper
wewill have been swearing like a trooper
youwill have been swearing like a trooper
theywill have been swearing like a trooper

Conditional

Present

Iwould be swearing like a trooper
youwould be swearing like a trooper
he;she;itwould be swearing like a trooper
wewould be swearing like a trooper
youwould be swearing like a trooper
theywould be swearing like a trooper

Perfect

Iwould have been swearing like a trooper
youwould have been swearing like a trooper
he;she;itwould have been swearing like a trooper
wewould have been swearing like a trooper
youwould have been swearing like a trooper
theywould have been swearing like a trooper

Other

Verbs conjugated like 'swear'

forswear, outwear, swear, tear, wear,

Verbs similar to 'swear'

sear, shear, skear, smear, spear, stear, sweal, sweat, wear, abear,

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

to swear; to use offensive language
bad mouth, blaspheme, curse, cuss, execrate, imprecate, swear like a trooper, vilify
vow
avow, promise, warrant, declare, state, testify, depose, affirm
curse
blaspheme, cuss, damn, imprecate

Additional Information

Etymology

1. O.E. swerian "take an oath" (class VI strong verb; past tense swor, pp. sworen), from P.Gmc. *swarjanan, from root *swar- (cf. O.S. swerian, O.N. sverja, Dan. sverge, O.Fris. swera, M.Du. swaren, O.H.G. swerien, Ger. schwören, Goth. swaren "to swear"), from PIE base *swer- "to speak, say" (cf. O.C.S. svara "quarrel"). Also related to the second element in answer. The secondary sense of "use bad language" (c.1430) developed from the notion of "invoke sacred names." Swear-word is Amer.Eng. colloquial from 1883. Swear off "desist as with a vow" is from 1898.
2. From Middle English sweren, swerien, from Old English swerian (“to swear, take an oath of office”), from Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną (“to speak, swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to swear”).
3. Cognate with West Frisian swarre (“to swear”), Saterland Frisian swera (“to swear”), Dutch zweren (“to swear, vow”), Low German swören (“to swear”), sweren, German schwören (“to swear”), Danish sværge, Swedish svära (“to swear”), Icelandic sverja (“to swear”), Russian свара (svara, “quarrel”). Also cognate to Albanian var (“to hang, consider, to depend from”) through Proto-Indo-European.
4. 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). See: Middle English 'sweren', Old English 'swerian', Proto-Germanic '*swarjaną', Dutch 'zweren', Low Saxon 'swören', German, old spelling 'schwören', Danish 'sværge', Swedish 'svära', Icelandic 'sverja'.

Verbs referencing "swear"

German, old spelling schwören, Sranan sweri, Ukrainian сварити, Luxembourgish schwieren, Alemannic German schwere, Danish sværge, Sanskrit स्वरति.

Sample Sentences

  • “ Well, I 've got just as much conscience as any man in business can afford to keep,—just a little, you know, to swear by, as ’ t were, ” said the trader, jocularly; “ and, then, I 'm ready to do anything in reason to ’ blige friends; but this yer, you see, is a leetle too hard on a fellow—a leetle too hard. ” The [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • [...] hitting her exactly between the eyes whenever she attempts to advance an inch. Imagine the ship herself, with every pulse and artery of her huge body swollen and bursting under this maltreatment, sworn to go on or die. Imagine the wind howling, the sea roaring, the rain beating: all in furious array against her. Picture the sky both dark and wild, and the clouds, in fearful sympathy with the [...] (American Notes for General Circulation)
  • Haley ran up and down, and cursed and swore and stamped miscellaneously. Mr. Shelby in vain tried to shout directions from the balcony, and Mrs. Shelby from her chamber window alternately laughed and wondered,—not without some inkling of what [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • [...] to a standstill by any such gentle means, and then taken into custody for not moving on. But there was no confusion or disorder. Our carriage reached the porch in its turn, without any blustering, swearing, shouting, backing, or other disturbance: and we dismounted with as much ease and comfort as though we had been escorted by the whole Metropolitan Force from A to Z inclusive. (American Notes for General Circulation)
  • [...] seen Death many times,—met him in the way of trade, and got acquainted with him,—and he only thought of him as a hard customer, that embarrassed his property operations very unfairly; and so he only swore that the gal was a baggage, and that he was devilish unlucky, and that, if things went on in this way, he should not make a cent on the trip. In short, he seemed to consider himself an ill-used man, [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • [...] when the wind was adverse. Indeed, the mercury itself is not so variable as this class of passengers, whom you will see, when the ship is going nobly through the water, quite pale with admiration, swearing that the captain beats all captains ever known, and even hinting at subscriptions for a piece of plate; and who, next morning, when the breeze has lulled, and all the sails hang useless in the idle [...] (American Notes for General Circulation)
  • The men, led by the groans of Tom, scrambled and crackled through stumps, logs and bushes, to where that hero lay groaning and swearing with alternate vehemence. (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • [...] Why, the fact is, this concern belonged to a couple of drunken creatures that keep a low restaurant that I have to pass by every day, and I was tired of hearing her screaming, and them beating and swearing at her. She looked bright and funny, too, as if something might be made of her; — so I bought her, and I'll give her to you. Try, now, and give her a good orthodox New England bringing up, and see [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • Adolph, enraged at this taunt, flew furiously at his adversary, swearing and striking on every side of him. The rest laughed and shouted, and the uproar brought the keeper to the door. (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • [...] I saw a crowd about the gate, and heard a child's voice,—and suddenly my Henry broke away from two or three men who were holding him, and ran, screaming, and caught my dress. They came up to him, swearing dreadfully; and one man, whose face I shall never forget, told him that he wouldn't get away so; that he was going with him into the calaboose, and he'd get a lesson there he'd never forget. I tried [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • I just want to... no, I won't be any trouble. I swear. (Grafted)
  • Yeah. Yeah, but I didn't know about no dead body. I, I didn't kill anybody, I swear. (Once Upon a Time in Hollyweird)
  • When you sing that thing backstage, it moved me. I swear to God, it moved me. (Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties)