noun
oath
OHTH/əʊθ/
A solemn promise to tell the truth or fulfill a duty.
The witness takes an oath to tell the truth in court.
Etymology
Old English að meant a solemn appeal to a deity or sacred object as witness to truth or a promise. This makes an oath more than an ordinary promise: it invokes sacred authority to support the speaker’s word.
In context
I swore an oath to the Constitution. I didn't swear an oath to the president, to the congress, to a boss, to a contract, to a paycheck.
More examples
- New citizens take an oath of allegiance.
- She answers every question under oath.
- He refuses to break his oath of secrecy.
Forms
oath · oaths
oathbreaker noun — Someone who breaks a solemn promise.