thề độc
Definition
- Verb:
- To swear a solemn or vehement oath: The phrase "thề độc" refers to the act of making a very serious, forceful, and often emotionally charged vow or pledge. It implies invoking something sacred or severe to guarantee one's truthfulness or commitment.
- To swear by one's life or by something sacred: It often carries the connotation of swearing upon something of ultimate personal importance, sometimes even one's own life or well-being, to emphasize sincerity.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Anh ấy thề độc rằng mình không nói dối. (He swore a solemn oath that he was not lying.)
- Cô ấy thề độc sẽ không bao giờ quay lại nữa. (She swore vehemently that she would never return.)
- Họ thề độc trước bàn thờ tổ tiên. (They swore a sacred oath before the ancestral altar.)
Advanced Usage
- The oath in "thề độc" is typically made in situations requiring absolute conviction, such as proving innocence, making a lifelong promise, or denying an accusation. It is stronger and more dramatic than a simple "thề" (to swear).
Variants and Related Words
- Thề (v): to swear, to vow. This is the neutral, base form.
- Tôi thề tôi sẽ làm. (I swear I will do it.)
- Thề thốt (v): to swear profusely or repeatedly (can sometimes imply insincerity).
- Anh ta chỉ biết thề thốt suông. (He only knows how to make empty vows.)
Synonyms
- Swear solemnly: To make a formal, serious oath.
- Vow vehemently: To promise with intense feeling or passion.
- Pledge one's honor: To commit oneself with one's reputation at stake.
Related Idioms
- While "thề độc" itself is a set phrase, it is conceptually related to the gravity of oaths in idioms.
- Thề sống thề chết: To swear by life and death (an even more extreme form of swearing).
- Họ thề sống thề chết không bao giờ phản bội nhau. (They swore by life and death never to betray each other.)