sworn

Related to sworn: Sworn statement

swear a warrant out

To file a judicial writ for some legal action to be taken, usually the arrest or detention of someone. The police swore a warrant out for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swore warrants out against the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore a warrant out to have her ex-husband arrested, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
See also: out, swear, warrant

swear a warrant out for (someone or something)

To file a judicial writ for someone to be arrested or detained. The police swore a warrant out for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swore warrants out for the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore a warrant out for her ex-husband, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
See also: out, swear, warrant

swear a warrant out on (one)

To file a judicial writ for one to be arrested or detained. The police swore a warrant out on the CFO after evidence of his embezzlement emerged. They're not going to swear a warrant out on him unless you're willing to testify. Community services swore warrants out on the children for them to be taken into custody by the state.
See also: on, out, swear, warrant

swear at (someone or something)

To utter a curse or similarly vulgar or abusive language toward someone or something. Don't you dare swear at me like that—who taught you such filthy words? The player stormed off the field swearing at the referee.
See also: swear

swear blind

To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. Janet has sworn blind that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her.
See also: blind, swear

swear by (someone or something)

1. To have and proclaim one's complete faith or confidence in someone or something. Not everyone believes that magnets have healing properties, but I've sworn by them for years—they're the only thing that's given me relief from back pain! You should ask our accountant to have a look at your tax returns. He's always been able to save us money, so we swear by him!
2. To make a very serious, solemn pledge or oath, especially that something will happen or that one is telling the truth. The person or thing following "by" is typically someone or something that one loves or respects. I swear by my mother's grave that I will get revenge on the people who wronged you. He swore by God that he was telling the truth.
3. To be certain of or sure about something. That should fix the connectivity issues with the servers, but I can't swear by it until I've had a chance to run some tests.
See also: by, swear

swear down

1. An exclamation of one's truthfulness. Primarily heard in UK. It was Tommy who bungled up the report, not me. Swear down!
2. To swear to someone that what one has said is true. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "swear" and "down." Primarily heard in UK. She swore me down that she didn't take the money.
See also: down, swear

swear in

To administer an oath to someone as part of the official process of taking public office. A noun or pronoun can be used between "swear" and "in." The current president was sworn in after his predecessor died of a sudden heart attack. We will swear you in as newly qualified members of the police force at the end of the ceremony.
See also: swear

swear like a sailor

To use profanities or vulgar language very freely and fluently. (An allusion to the rough language presumed to be used by military personnel.) My little sister has been swearing like a sailor ever since she started learning bad words. My granny is the sweetest old lady you'll ever meet, but she swears like a sailor when she gets on the topic of something or someone she doesn't like.
See also: like, sailor, swear

swear like a trooper

To use profanities or vulgar language very freely and fluently. (An allusion to the rough language presumed to be used by military personnel.) My granny is the sweetest old lady you'll ever meet, but she swears like a trooper when she gets on the topic of something or someone she doesn't like.
See also: like, swear, trooper

swear off (something)

To promise, pledge, or be determined not to do, use, eat, or imbibe something anymore. Thank you, but I don't drink. I swore off alcohol when my father was killed by a drunk driver. Jack swore off cigarettes for his New Year's resolution.
See also: off, swear

swear on (one's) mother's grave

To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. Janet has sworn on her mother's grave that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her. I swear on my mother's grave that if I have a chance to help your campaign, I will.
See also: grave, on, swear

swear on (someone or something)

To make a very serious, solemn pledge or oath, especially that one is telling the truth. The person or thing following "on" is typically someone or something that one loves or respects. Janet has sworn on her mother's grave that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her. I swear on my children that I will get revenge on the people that wronged you. You have to swear on the Bible when you testify in court.
See also: on, swear

swear on a stack of Bibles

To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. A hyperbolic reference to the traditional act of placing one's hand on a Bible while taking an oath, such as before a court proceeding. Janet has sworn on a stack of Bibles that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her. I swear on a stack of Bibles that if I have a chance to help your campaign, I will.
See also: Bible, of, on, stack, swear

swear out a warrant

To file a judicial writ for some legal action to be taken, usually the arrest or detention of someone. The police swear out a warrant for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swear out warrants against the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore out a warrant to have her ex-husband arrested, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
See also: out, swear, warrant

swear out a warrant for (someone or something)

To file a judicial writ for one to be arrested or detained. The police swore out a warrant for the CFO's arrest after evidence of his embezzlement scheme emerged. The sheriff swear out warrants for the three men suspected of committing the bank robbery. The woman swore out a warrant for her ex-husband, claiming that he had violated the terms of his restraining order.
See also: out, swear, warrant

swear out a warrant on (one)

To file a judicial writ for one to be arrested or detained. The police swore out a warrant on the CFO after evidence of his embezzlement emerged. They're not going to swear out a warrant on him unless you're willing to testify. Community services swore out warrants on the children for them to be taken into custody by the state.
See also: on, out, swear, warrant

swear up and down

To make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth. Janet has sworn up and down that she wasn't the one to betray me, and I believe her.
See also: and, down, swear, up

sworn enemy

A person, group, or organization for whom one holds a particularly intense, deep-seated hatred. Our environmentalist lobby group is heading out to protest against Big Oil, our sworn enemy.
See also: enemy, sworn
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

swear like a trooper

to curse and swear with great facility. (The trooper here refers to a soldier.) Mrs. Wilson was known to swear like a trooper on occasion. The clerk started swearing like a trooper, and the customer started crying.
See also: like, swear, trooper

swear on a stack of Bibles

 and swear on one's mother's grave
to state something very earnestly, pledging to tell the truth. (~ a Stack of Bibles refers in an exaggerated way to swearing to tell the truth in court by placing one's hand on a Bible.) I swear on a stack of Bibles that I am telling the truth. Of course, I'm telling the truth. I swear on my mother's grave!
See also: Bible, of, on, stack, swear

swear someone in (as something)

to administer an oath to someone who then officially begins in office. The judge swore Alice in as street commissioner. The judge swore in Alice as the new director.
See also: swear
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

swear in

Administer a legal or official oath to, as in The new mayor will be sworn in tomorrow. [c. 1700]
See also: swear

swear like a trooper

Freely utter profanity or obscenity, as in The teacher was shocked when she heard one of the fathers begin to swear like a trooper. The troopers in this term were the cavalry, who were singled out for their swearing from the early 1700s on.
See also: like, swear, trooper

swear on a stack of Bibles

Promise solemnly that what one is about to say is true, as in I swear on a stack of Bibles that I had nothing to do with his dropping out. This term alludes to the practice of placing one's hand on a sacred object while taking an oath, which dates from the mid-10th century. It is still followed in courts of law where a witness being sworn to tell the truth places a hand on the Bible. [Mid-1800s]
See also: Bible, of, on, stack, swear
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

swear on a stack of Bibles

If someone swears on a stack of Bibles that something is true, they emphasize their promise that it is true. Our leaders swore on a stack of Bibles there was plenty of oil, and, of course, we wanted to believe them.
See also: Bible, of, on, stack, swear

swear blind

BRITISH or

swear up and down

AMERICAN
If someone swears blind that something is true, they insist that they are telling you the truth. He swore blind that he hadn't taken the money. He swears blind that he bears no grudges against Manchester United for sacking him, but I don't know if I believe him.
See also: blind, swear

swear like a trooper

If someone swears like a trooper, they swear a lot. Mo was rude and abusive and swore like a trooper. Note: Nouns such as sailor or marine are sometimes used instead of trooper. The show has a heroine who drinks like a fish and swears like a sailor. Note: A trooper is a soldier.
See also: like, swear, trooper

swear up and down

AMERICAN
If someone swears up and down that something is true, they insist very strongly that they are telling you the truth. He swore up and down he was going to get the cash and bring it right back. I couldn't get it out of my head that maybe it was all part of his plan, although he swore up and down it wasn't. Note: The usual British expression is swear blind.
See also: and, down, swear, up
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

swear blind

affirm something in an emphatic manner. British informal
A North American variant of this expression is swear up and down .
See also: blind, swear

swear like a trooper

swear a great deal.
A trooper was originally a private soldier in a cavalry unit. Troopers were proverbial for their coarse behaviour and bad language at least as early as the mid 18th century: in Pamela ( 1739–40 ), Samuel Richardson writes ‘she curses and storms at me like a Trooper’. Compare with lie like a trooper (at lie).
See also: like, swear, trooper
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

swear like a ˈtrooper

(old-fashioned, British English) use many swear words; use bad language: She’s only fourteen, but she swears like a trooper.
A trooper is a soldier.
See also: like, swear, trooper
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

swear in

v.
To administer a legal or official oath to someone: The police department swore in 15 new officers. The Chief Justice will swear the new President in.
See also: swear
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

swear like a trooper

in. to curse and swear with great facility. The clerk started swearing like a trooper, and the customer started crying.
See also: like, swear, trooper

swear on a stack of Bibles

in. to make a very solemn pledge of one’s honesty. (Folksy. Official oaths are sometimes taken with one hand on a Bible. This phrase implies that more Bibles make an even stronger oath.) I swear on a stack of Bibles that I was in Atlanta on the night of January sixteenth.
See also: Bible, of, on, stack, swear
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • swear a warrant out
  • take out a warrant
  • take a warrant out
  • swear out a warrant
  • put a warrant out
  • put a warrant out for (someone or something)
  • put out a warrant
  • put out a warrant for (someone or something)
  • swear a warrant out for (someone or something)
  • swear out a warrant for (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
CALIFORNIA DAIRY PO Box 626, Clovis, CA 93613-0626; 559/298-6675, FAX: 559/323-6016 Web site: www.malcolmmedia.com Year first published: 1992 Parent co: Malcolm Media Circ: 4,905 (sworn).
U.S. publications
* In 2006, sworn officers accounted for 69.2 percent of all law enforcement personnel.
Police employees
The visual and thematic parallels between the absolute artificiality of Vetter's germ-free home and the playgrounds' overdesigned scenarios aren't hard to discern, but the pattern of attitudes that Sworn's project suggests--toward the psychology and sociology of medical technology, the mass media, and the built environment--is more ambiguous.
Corin Sworn: ZieherSmith
Sworn Enemies: Fidel Castro, immigrants from 25 countries ordered to special registration
Bush's winning hand: racial tokens in the administration. (Enemies of the State)
This included 252 sworn personnel per 100,000 residents.
As of June 2000, state and local governments in the United States operated 17,784 full-time law enforcement agencies. (Inter Alia)
Miguna calls the bluff on Raila saying while the NASA leader had publicly demonstrated commitment to be sworn in on Jamhuri day, he was again engaging reverse gears and slowing down the process.
Magufuli blocked Raila's ceremony in Tanzania
Picking from Ventura's sworn statement, Aguirre said that Aegis Juris' initiation rites would start early morning and end at dawn so that by the time the sun rises, the fraternity would welcome their new member.
Aguirre bares Atio's ordeal in the hands of Aegis Juris members
Aquino and Binay will be sworn in by Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, not by Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, something that has created friction between the executive and judiciary because the chief justice traditionally swears in the president.
AquinoAEs deputy sore over key post
CAAR COMMUNICATOR 701 Henry Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3E 1T9; 204/953-2189, 866/953-2189, FAX: 204/953-2199 Web site: www.lesterpublications.com Year first published: 1980 Circ: 4,500 (sworn).
Canadian publications
A Government discussion paper even says swearing allegiance in Gaelic will only be accepted if the words are sworn in English first.
Rebels bid to ditch loyalty pledge to Queen
Civilianization enables more sworn police officers to answer service calls requiring full police powers, while still providing timely service for other types of calls.
Civilian services
Fifty-seven-year-old, Ms Felicia Oyediran was on Thursday, sworn in as Clerk of the Oyo House of Assembly.
57-Year-Old Oyediran Sworn In As Oyo Assembly Clerk
The Supreme Court has expunged from its records two affidavits sworn by officials of Kampala University showing that Wajir Governor Abdi Mohamud was a student.
Court expunges two affidavits in Wajir governor academic papers case
Waytha Moorthy has been appointed minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of national unity and social well-being after he was sworn in as a senator today.
Hindraf's Waytha Moorthy unity minister, Chin Tong deputy defence minister
Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has reiterated calls for Nasa leader Raila Odinga to call off plans to be sworn in as the people's president on Tuesday.Mr Atwoli warned that if the swearing-in takes place as planned it could ignite violence and plunge the country into turmoil.
Francis Atwoli: Swearing in Raila Odinga will lead to bloodshed