perjure
/'pə:dʤə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To commit perjury: To knowingly make a false statement while under oath in a court of law or other official proceeding, thereby committing the crime of perjury.
- To forswear oneself: To violate a sworn oath or promise by lying.
Usage
- The verb "perjure" is almost exclusively used in the reflexive form "perjure oneself." It describes the specific, intentional act of lying under a legally binding oath.
- It is a formal term used in legal and judicial contexts.
Examples
- Verb:
- The witness was afraid to tell the truth and chose to perjure himself on the stand.
- If you lie under oath, you perjure yourself and can be charged with a felony.
Advanced Usage
- "To perjure oneself": This is the standard and most common construction. It emphasizes that the individual is making themselves guilty of the crime.
- The prosecutor warned her that she would perjure herself if she did not tell the whole truth.
Variants and Related Words
- Perjury (n): The offense of willfully telling an untruth under oath.
- He was convicted of perjury for his false testimony.
- Perjurer (n): A person who commits perjury.
- The judge denounced the witness as a known perjurer.
- Perjurious (adj): Relating to or involving perjury.
- The lawyer objected to the perjurious statement.
Synonyms
- Forswear: To renounce or swear falsely; a close synonym, though less specific to legal contexts.
- Lie under oath: A descriptive phrase for the act of perjury.
Antonyms
- Testify truthfully: To give evidence or a statement honestly while under oath.
- Swear truly: To take an oath and adhere to it honestly.
Related Phrases
- Commit perjury: A common phrase synonymous with "perjure oneself."
- The defendant was accused of committing perjury during the trial.
Verb
- knowingly tell an untruth in a legal court and render oneself guilty of perjury