Pronunciation: [swˈɔː] (IPA) 
The word swore is spelled with the consonant cluster "sw" followed by the vowel sound "ohr" represented by the letter combination "ore." In IPA phonetic transcription, it would be /swɔr/. The phoneme /sw/ is a voiceless labialized alveolar approximant followed by the vowel sound /ɔr/, which is an open-mid back rounded vowel with r-colored syllabic consonant. This word is commonly used in the past tense, as in "He swore he didn't do it."
Swore is the past tense of the verb swear. Swear is a transitive or intransitive verb that originates from Old English. It refers to making a solemn or binding declaration or oath, often invoking a sacred power or deity as a witness. When using the word intransitively, it means to take an oath or make a solemn promise. Swear can also be used to express emphatic affirmation or conviction, indicating strong belief in something.
The past tense form, swore, indicates that the act of swearing or taking an oath occurred in the past. It typically suggests that the action has been completed, and it is used to indicate a fixed point in time when the oath or promise was made. The past tense is essential in narrating events that have already happened.
For example, if a witness testifies in court, they may be required to swear to tell the truth. The witness would raise their right hand and declare, "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." In this case, swore would be used to describe the action of taking the oath.
Furthermore, swore can also be used informally in colloquial speech to emphasize a point or as a substitute for swearing profanities. In such cases, it is used as a strong intensifier, expressing anger, surprise, or frustration.
• of Swear
• Did swear.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "swore" originated from the Old English word "swerian" which meant to take an oath or make a solemn declaration. This Old English word is derived from the Proto-Germanic *swarōną, which also meant to swear or take an oath. The Proto-Germanic word is further derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *swer-, which had the sense of speaking or talking. The word "swore" has retained its meaning of making a solemn declaration or taking an oath throughout its evolution in the English language.
