geswerian

Old English

Etymology

From ġe- +‎ swerian. Cognate with Old Saxon giswerian, Old High German giswerian.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jeˈswer.jɑn/, [jeˈswerˠ.jɑn]

Verb

ġeswerian

1. to swear an oath, promise
   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     On þām ġewinne, ⁊ on moneġum oþrum æfter þǣm, Hannibal ġecȳþde þone nīþ ⁊ þone hete þe hē beforan his fæder ġeswōr, þā hē nigonwintre cniht wæs, þæt hē næfre ne wurde Rōmana frēond.

     In that battle, and in many others after that, Hannibal proved the hatred and hostility that he swore before his father when he was a nine-year-old boy, that he would never become a friend of the Romans.

2. to confirm by oath

Conjugation

Conjugation of ġeswerian (strong class 6)

infinitive	ġeswerian	ġeswerienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	ġeswerie	ġeswōr
second person singular	ġeswerest	ġeswōre
third person singular	ġeswereþ	ġeswōr
plural	ġesweriaþ	ġeswōron
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	ġeswerie	ġeswōre
plural	ġeswerien	ġeswōren
imperative
singular	ġeswere
plural	ġesweriaþ
participle	present	past
	ġesweriende	ġesworen