Link Centre Dictionary

oath

UK/ˈəʊθ/ US/ˈoʊθ/ common

noun

2.

a commitment to tell the truth (especially in a court of law); to lie under oath is to become subject to prosecution for perjury

Synonyms
3.

a solemn promise, usually invoking a divine witness, regarding your future acts or behavior

  • “they took an oath of allegience”

Origin

From Middle English ooth, oth, ath, from Old English āþ (“oath”), from Proto-West Germanic *aiþ (“oath”), from Proto-Germanic *aiþaz (“oath”). Cognate with Scots aith, athe (“oath”), North Frisian ith, iss (“oath”), Saterland Frisian Eed (“oath”), West Frisian eed (“oath”), Dutch eed (“oath”), German Eid (“oath”), Swedish ed (“oath”), Icelandic eið (“oath”), Latin ūtor (“make use of, employ, avail”, verb), Old Irish óeth (“oath”).

Phrases

  • abjuration oath
  • bodily oath
  • book oath
  • corporal oath
  • Hippocratic oath
  • ken oath
  • minced oath
  • my bloody oath

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.