An Oath Is a Solemn Promise or a Curse
An oath is a formal sworn statement. It is also a swear word, and the link is direct.
An oath is a solemn promise, often invoking something sacred, and also a profane exclamation. The two senses connect through the verb *swear*, which covers both: to swear an oath in court and to swear at someone are the same word, because profanity originally meant invoking sacred names improperly. That is why *by God* and *bloody* — thought to be from *by our Lady* — began as broken oaths rather than as obscenities. English *oath* is Old English *að*, shared across the Germanic languages.
- A solemn promise. *An oath of office.*
- A curse. *He muttered an oath.*
- Under oath. *Testifying under oath.*
- To swear — the verb. *To swear.*
- Old English — *að*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | oath | An oath. |
| Plural | oaths | Oaths. |
| Verb | swear | To swear. |
| Related | perjury | Perjury. |
| German | Eid | An oath. |
- She took the oath of office.Formal.
- He muttered an oath.Curse.
- Both senses use swear.Link.
Broken oaths that became mild swearing
- Zounds — from God's wounds
- Gadzooks — from God's hooks, the nails of the cross
- Bloody — probably from by our Lady
- Crikey and cripes — altered forms of Christ
- Golly and gosh — altered forms of God
Old English *að*, of Germanic origin, related to German *Eid* and Dutch *eed*.
Why does oath mean both a promise and a curse?
Because profanity began as improper invocation of sacred names, which is why we swear an oath and swear at someone with the same verb.
Where does zounds come from?
From God's wounds, a broken oath disguised by contraction so as not to be blasphemous.