Oath

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈəʊθ/

Definitions

1. A formal commitment or promise made with a strong sense of duty, often involving a sacred witness, along with a curse or entreaty invoking divine retribution
2. An earnest vow or pledge invoking a higher power for truthfulness or loyalty, accompanied by an invocation of divine punishment or a curse
3. A serious declaration or pledge made with a belief in divine oversight to affirm truth or commitment

Etymology: The English noun "oath" has been around since at least the Old English period, when it appeared as "āþ," and its ancestry runs back to a Proto-Germanic form "*aiþaz" meaning the same thing. That deep root is shared across the Germanic languages: German has "Eid," Dutch "eed," Swedish "ed," and Icelandic "eið," all carrying the sense of a solemn pledge. Scots keeps a close cousin in "aith." The most surprising connection is the one that reaches outside the family entirely. Old Irish has "óeth," meaning oath, which points to a shared ancestral word stretching across the Indo-European languages. Even Latin contributes a relative, "ūtor," meaning "make use of" or "employ." The link is not obvious on the surface, and it suggests that the idea of binding one's word was already expressed in closely related forms long before English existed.

Synonyms: vow, pledge, swear

Antonyms: denial, disavowal