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1. A solemn, formal declaration or promise to fulfill a pledge, often calling on God, a god, or a sacred object as witness.
2. The words or formula of such a declaration or promise.
3. Something declared or promised.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
1 : a solemn attestation of the truth of one's words or the sincerity of one's intentions; specifically : one accompanied by calling upon a deity as a witness
2 : a promise (as to perform official duties faithfully) corroborated by an oath —compare PERJURY—under oath : under a solemn and esp. legal obligation to tell the truth (as when testifying)
Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
2: a commitment to tell the truth (especially in a court of law); to lie under oath is to become subject to prosecution for perjury 3: a solemn promise, usually invoking a divine witness, regarding your future acts or behavior; "they took an oath of allegiance"
Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University
oath
a solemn appeal to God, permitted on fitting occasions (Deut. 6:13; Jer. 4:2),
in various forms (Gen. 16:5; 2 Sam. 12:5; Ruth 1:17; Hos. 4:15; Rom. 1 and
taken in different ways (Gen. 14:22; 24:2; 2 Chr. 6:22). God is represented as
taking an oath (Heb. 6:16-18), so also Christ (Matt. 26:64), and Paul (Rom.
9:1; Gal. 1:20; Phil. 1:8). The precept, "Swear not at all," refers probably to
ordinary conversation between man and man (Matt. 5:34,37). But if the words are
taken as referring to oaths, then their intention may have been to show "that
the proper state of Christians is to require no oaths; that when evil is
expelled from among them every yea and nay will be as decisive as an oath,
every promise as binding as a vow."
Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary