swear-v; 6 Senses

Sense Number 1: solemnly promise, bind by oath

Commentary: Includes: SWEAR IN Syntax is: NP1[agent] SWEAR VP[non-finite] NP1[human] SWEAR (NP2[human] to) NP3
NOTE: participants can include an individual making a promise, an individual being bound to a promise, and witnesses (animate or inanimate)

Examples:
He swore to uphold the law.
He swore an oath to be the kingdom's champion.
We were sworn to secrecy.
He was so bad at lying, I swore him to silence on a deep-cover.
He swore on a historic bible and had no objections to doing it.
He swore by his crown of moonshine that he would battle all the stars in the skies.
The speaker of the House swore in the new President.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: Commitment
PropBank: swear.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
swear_in 1

Sense Number 2: utter profanities

Examples:
I got so used to using bad language that I almost swore at my students.
He claimed that the referee swore at him.
No matter what your mother said, there may be times when swearing is appropriate.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: swear.02
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 3: assert sincerely, avow, state as true

Commentary: Syntax is: NP1[agent] SWEAR

Examples:
I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.
I swear to you Miss Scarlett, I don't know nothing about cooking collards.
He swore the results had to be wrong and that I'd made an error somewhere.

Mappings:
VerbNet: conjecture-29.5-1
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: swear.04
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2, 4

Sense Number 4: have confidence or faith in

Commentary: Syntax is: NP1 SWEAR BY NP2[object]
NOTE: compare carefully to sense 1; in this sense NP2 is the object of confidence, not the "witness" to an oath

Examples:
I swear by my grandmother's recipes.
He swore by Craftsman tools.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: swear.05
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 5

Sense Number 5: abstain from

Commentary: Includes: SWEAR OFF

Examples:
I have sworn off cigarettes altogether.
He swore off dangerous stunts like wing-walking on biplanes.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: swear.03
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
swear_off 1

Sense Number 6: deliver a warrant or summons to someone

Commentary: Includes: SWEAR OUT

Examples:
He swore out a warrant on March 1 for the arrest of Queensbury.
He swore out the affidavit on condition Angelico send them to the ARRB.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
swear_out 1