verb

perjure

PUR-jer/ˈpɜːrdʒər/

To deliberately lie while under oath to tell the truth.

The witness perjures herself by falsely claiming under oath that the window was intact.

Perjure: adult woman in witness box raises oath hand while speaking, her pictorial bubble shows a locked intact window, contrasting evidence image beside her shows same window visibly broken open.

Etymology

Here 'away, entirely' combines with 'swear' in a verb meaning 'break one's oath.' That breach is the link to lying while bound by an oath in legal testimony.

In context

Learn Thru Movies3:39

I had to swear an oath before we began this deposition and I don't want to perjure myself

Perjure

More examples

She refuses to perjure herself to protect her employer.
He perjured himself by knowingly giving false testimony.
Deliberately lying about your age under oath means perjuring yourself.

Forms

perjure · perjures · perjured · perjuring

perjury noun — Deliberate lying while under oath.

perjurer noun — A person who deliberately lies under oath.

Similar words

lie: Does not require an oath or a legal setting.
deceive: Means misleading someone, not necessarily by lying under oath.