Middle English Dictionary Entry
swār(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | swār(e n. Also swere, swore & (error) swa. |
| Etymology | OE -swaru (in andswaru, āþ-swaru, etc.) & ON: cp. OI svar, pl. svör. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. answere n.
1.
(a) An answer, a reply; yelden (yeven) ~; (b) speech, language; an utterance, a word; fals ~, a deceptive or misleading statement, a lie; mon ~, q.v.; with sweteli ~, with pleasant words, with courteous speech; (c) a solemn promise, pledge; also, in asseveration: bi min ~, I swear; (d) cursing, blaspheming.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2422 : Nu wile I shæwenn ȝuw forrwhi Ȝho ȝaff swillc sware.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6494 : Drihhtin ȝaff hemm sware o nihht..& radde hemm þatt teȝȝ sholldenn ham..wendenn.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1184 : Þan takis þe bischop þe breue..& redis it ouire..& þam his sware ȝeldis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4999 : Quat þou will of þaim to wete wis in þi saghe..And þou may swythe haue a sware.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5019 : Þis sware scho him ȝeldis: '..þi sire soile..see sall þou neuire.'
b
- a1300 Hit bilimpeð (Corp-O 59)35 : Wicke is here ure fare & ure wuniȝinge, mid wicke speche & false sware & mid lesinge.
- ?a1300 Loue is sofft (Dgb 86)1 : Loue is sofft, loue is swet, loue is goed sware.
- c1390 NHom.Abbess (Vrn)156 : Þe Bisschop wiþ swetly swore [rime: lore] A soylede hire and þonked Mari.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) John Bapt.(Phys-E)p.45 : Than said sain Ion..Til al that folc wit swetli swar..'This es that lamb that I you hiht.'
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Magd.(Phys-E)p.17 : Wit teres sco wes his fete..And kissed thaim with suetli suare.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17819 : Þai hailsed þaim wit suetli suar [rime: bar], Wit kissing wirscip þai þam bar to iursalem.
- ?a1425 Const.Masonry(1) (Roy 17.A.1)p.265 : The mayster..ys a frende To lere hym..no fals sware..to make For drede of here sowles sake.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)955 : Hast þou geten wyth fals swore [vr. ware] Any þynge lasse or more?
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)536 : Knyȝtes crosschen doun to þe cold erþe..Doun swowande to swelt, with out swar more.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1200 : Sum swalt in a swym with-outen sware more, Mony perysshet in þe plase er þe prise endit.
c
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)5433 : Þo was wo Coel..þat he sahtnesse mid sware [Clg: treoðe] hadde ifastned.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)430/339 : Þei þe Masse ne beo þe worse, þe preost, bi mi swere, Þat hire singuth in dedlich sunne a-corie it schal ful deore!
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)478 : Þan spake Iesu wordes meke..'Ferþer ne wol hi fle, be mi swere.'
- a1350(c1307) Death Edw.I (Hrl 2253)21 : 'Clerkes, knyhtes, barouns,' he sayde, 'y charge ou by oure sware [rime: care], þat ȝe to engelonde be trewe.'
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Gal.3.17 : Þis..testament confermyd of god þurgh sware þat þe lawe makys not fals for to voyde þe byheste.
d
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)163 : Ðe defles sed is idel and unnet and iuele word, hoker and scorn, spel..and leasinges and sware and alle swikele speches.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)175/13 : Habbeð þah to ower bihoue þis..ende of alle cuðe sunnen, as of prude..of sum fals word, of sware [Cleo: swa].
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)102/8 : Her imong beoð..bittre wordes..sum chearre mid great sware [Pep: oþes], monie & prude wordes wið warinesses & bileasunges.