swearing
nounEtymology From Middle English swerynge; equivalent to swear + -ing.
1
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences The act of swearing, or making an oath.
- No man is believed a jot the more for all the asseverations, damnings, and swearings he makes.1693 (date written), D. F. [pseudonym; Daniel Defoe], An Essay upon Projects, London: […] R. R. for Tho[mas] Cockerill, […], published 1697, →OCLC:
- Synonyms
- billingsgate, blasphemy, curse, cuss, cussword, expletive, imprecation, invective, malediction, oath, obscenity, profanity, swear, swear word, vituperation, vulgarity, French, dirty word, foul language, four letter word, industrial language
- Derived terms
- forswearing, hard swearing, swearing contest, swearing-in
- Related terms
- swearword