sware
Extremely Low (Archaic)Archaic, Literary, Dialectal
Definition
Meaning
The archaic simple past tense of the verb 'swear'.
Used in historical, literary, or dialectal contexts to indicate the act of having taken an oath, made a solemn promise, or used profane language in the past.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This form is not used in modern standard English. It is found primarily in older texts (e.g., the King James Bible, Shakespeare) and some regional dialects. The modern standard past tense is 'swore'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally archaic in both varieties. Its use is purely historical or in deliberate archaism.
Connotations
Evokes a historical, biblical, or rustic feel.
Frequency
Effectively zero in contemporary usage. May be slightly more recognized in the UK due to higher exposure to archaic texts in education, but this is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + sware + (Object) + (to-infinitive/that-clause)Subject + sware + on/upon + NPSubject + sware + by + NPVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only appears in quotations or analysis of historical/literary texts.
Everyday
Not used in modern conversation.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The knight sware an oath of fealty to his king.
- 'By my troth, I sware it,' quoth the old man.
American English
- He sware upon the Bible to tell the truth.
- The pioneers sware to protect one another on the trail.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In the old tale, the king sware to protect the village.
- The word 'sware' appears in the original text of the play.
- The witness, emulating biblical language, sware to tell the whole truth.
- The dialect poet used 'sware' to lend authenticity to the shepherd's speech.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SWARE' as an old 'SWEAR' – the 'A' in the middle makes it past and 'archaic'.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian 'свара' (quarrel). 'Sware' is only related to the verb 'swear' (клясться, ругаться).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sware' in modern writing or speech instead of 'swore'.
- Incorrectly conjugating it as 'swared' (it is already a past tense form).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the correct modern equivalent of 'sware'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Sware' is an archaic form. In modern standard English, the correct simple past tense of 'swear' is 'swore'. 'Sware' is only appropriate when quoting historical texts or using deliberate archaism.
You are most likely to encounter it in older literature, such as the works of Shakespeare, the King James Bible (1611), or in ballads and folk tales that preserve archaic or dialectal language.
It is occasionally attested in some traditional regional dialects (e.g., in parts of Scotland, Northern England, or Appalachia in the US), but even there, it is rare and being replaced by 'swore'.
The archaic past participle was 'sworn', which is the same as the modern form. The full archaic conjugation is: swear - sware/swore - sworn.