Stein und Bein schwören
Appearance
German
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Literally, “to swear stone and bone”, that is, to swear by two hard matters, implying the definiteness of the oath. Compare perhaps Thor's stone hammer.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio: (file)
Verb
[edit]Stein und Bein schwören (class 6 strong, third-person singular present schwört Stein und Bein, past tense schwor Stein und Bein or (archaic) schwur Stein und Bein, past participle Stein und Bein geschworen, past subjunctive schwöre Stein und Bein or schwüre Stein und Bein, auxiliary haben)
- (idiomatic) to swear on a stack of Bibles, to swear an absolute oath, to promise emphatically
Conjugation
[edit]1Archaic.
2Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
1Archaic.
2Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.