foreswear
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To renounce or turn away from something; to give up something formally or under oath. This meaning emphasizes a deliberate and often solemn rejection or abandonment of a practice, belief, or object.
- To do without; to cease to hold or adhere to; to relinquish. This meaning focuses on the act of abstaining from or discontinuing the use or belief in something.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- After his health scare, he decided to foreswear all processed foods.
- The knight vowed to foreswear worldly wealth and dedicate his life to prayer.
- They agreed to foreswear violence and seek a peaceful resolution.
Advanced Usage
- "To foreswear oneself": This is an archaic legal phrase meaning to commit perjury; to swear falsely.
- The witness was accused of having forsworn himself during the trial. (Note: The past participle is often "forsworn").
Variants and Related Words
- Forswear: This is a common alternate spelling of "foreswear." The meanings are identical.
- Forsworn (adj): Having renounced something under oath.
- He was a forsworn knight, no longer bound by his old vows.
- Foreswearing (gerund/noun): The act of renouncing.
- His foreswearing of alcohol was a surprise to everyone.
Synonyms
- Renounce: To give up, especially by formal announcement.
- Abjure: To renounce or reject solemnly.
- Relinquish: To voluntarily cease to keep or claim; to give up.
- Forgo: To abstain from; to go without.
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
(This word does not commonly form standard phrasal verbs. Its usage is typically direct: "foreswear something.")
Related Idioms
- To foreswear allegiance: To formally renounce loyalty to a person, group, or country.
- The rebels were forced to foreswear allegiance to the crown.
Verb
- turn away from; give up
- I am foreswearing women forever
- do without or cease to hold or adhere to
- We are dispensing with formalities
- relinquish the old ideas