sworn, ppl. a.
(swɔːn)
[Pa. pple. of swear v.]
1. That has taken or is bound by an oath.
sworn brother: either of two companions in arms who took an oath according to the rules of chivalry to share each other's good and bad fortunes; hence, either of two comrades or friends who are absolutely faithful or devoted to each other; a close or intimate friend or companion. So sworn friend. sworn enemy, sworn foe: one who has vowed perpetual enmity against another; hence, a determined or irreconcilable enemy.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 824 He woren breðere of kinde boren, And abram woren he breðre sworen. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 1010, I wol ensuren the..That I shal neuer fro the go But be thyn ovne sworen brother. c 1440 Generydes 4834 His sworn broder he was in sothfastnes. c 1460 Oseney Reg. 5 Robert Doyly and Roger of Iuory, sworne brethren and i-confederyd..euerich to other by feythe and sacrament, come to the conquest of Inglonde with Kyng William bastarde. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 21 Although I had beene your sworne and professed foe. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, v. i. 23, I am sworne Brother (Sweet) To grim Necessitie; and hee and I Will keepe a League till Death. 1599 ― Much Ado i. i. 73 Who is his companion now? He hath euery month a new sworne brother. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 1152 Those sworne enemies of the Christian Religion. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. i. ii. 167 Now my sworne Friend, and then mine Enemy. a 1661 Fuller Worthies (1840) II. 538 Private profit is (though a secret) a sworn enemy to the general good. 1780 Cowper On Burning Ld. Mansfield's Library 2 The Vandals of our isle, Sworn foes to sense and law. 1848 Dickens Dombey x, That boy's father and myself, Sir, were sworn friends. 1870 Freeman Norm. Conq. (ed. 2) I. App. 690 Cnut..proposes that they [sc. he and Eadmund] shall..divide the Kingdom and become sworn brothers (‘fratres adoptivi’). |
b. With other ns. (esp. agent-nouns): Thoroughly devoted or addicted to some course of action; resolute, out-and-out, inveterate.
| 1607 Shakes. Timon iii. v. 68 He's a sworne Riotor. 1808 Scott Marm. vi. xvi, Thou sworn horse-courser, hold thy peace. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. i. ii, The Soldiers at Jalès..were in heart sworn Sansculottes. 1856 Merivale Rom. Emp. xl. (1871) V. 10 Every theory had its special teacher, every paradox its sworn defender. |
2. Appointed or admitted with a formal or prescribed oath to some office or function.
sworn broker: see quots. 1855, 1901.
| 1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 432/1 Certain bokes and recordes of youre Eschequier, made by youre sworn Officers. 1445 Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 14 They sal sell na flesche quhill it be prisit be the sworne prisaris. 1499 in J. Bulloch Pynours (1887) 57 It was deliuerit be ane suorne assiss Alexander Chamer forspekar that the pynouris sal pay [etc.]. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. i. 20 The Iury..May in the sworne-twelue haue a thiefe, or two Guiltier then him they try. 1605 ― Lear iii. iv. 84 Sweare not, commit not with mans sworne Spouse. 1702 Post Man 1–3 Jan. 2/2 Advt., At the Office of Mr. Temple, Sworn Broker of London. 1707 E. Smith (title) Phædra and Hippolitus. A Tragedy as it is Acted at the Queen's Theatre..by Her Majesty's Sworn Servants. 1793–4 Matthews's Bristol Directory 30 Dunn, John, Sworn-measurer, Glocester-lane. 1818 Shelley Rosal. & Helen 289 To be His sworn bride eternally. 1823 Scott Quentin D. xxx, The Duke of Burgundy, the sworn vassal of France. 1842 Act 5 & 6 Vict. c. 103. §1 The Offices of Comptrollers of the Hanaper, Six Clerks, Sworn Clerks, and Waiting Clerks..are hereby abolished. 1848 Dickens Dombey ix, One Brogley, sworn broker and appraiser, who kept a shop where every description of second-hand furniture was exhibited. 1855 F. Playford Pract. Hints Investing Money 21 Sworn-brokers, who, not content with having gained private confidence, have complied in addition with certain City regulations; as becoming citizens of London, and being sworn in before the Lord Mayor. 1901 Westm. Gaz. 15 Aug. 7/1 There are some firms who to this day have the words ‘Sworn brokers’ printed upon their business cards... All who aspired to carry on business as brokers had to attend the Court of Aldermen and be formally sworn. |
b. sworn man (formerly written in one word): gen. a man bound by oath to the performance of a duty or office; hence, a man bound to strict service, a ‘vassal’, ‘henchman’; † spec. a 16th century name for the church officers appointed to assist the churchwardens, later called side(s)men.
| 1571 Grindal Injunctions §22. C iij, That the Church⁓wardens and sworne men of euerie Parishe shall halfe⁓yearely..present to the Ordinarie the names of all such persons of their Parishe, as be..blasphemers of the name of God [etc.]. 1582 C. Fetherstone Dial. agst. Dancing C 5, By this you seeme to burthen Churchwardens and sworne men with periurie. 1593 R. Harvey Philad. 4 Brute and his fellowes swornemen were worth all the rest. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶9 They will not trust the people with it [sc. the Scripture], no not as it is set foorth by their owne sworne men. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 204 Being found guilty by a Iurie of twelue sworne men. 1800 Med. Jrnl. IV. 88 To remove all doubt, six sworn men were appointed from different places in the neighbourhood to watch her day and night. 1821 Scott Kenilw. vii, Richard Varney is my sworn man, and a close brother of my secret council. 1890 Eliz. Lamond tr. Walter of Henley's Husb. 7 Survey your lands and tenements by true and sworn men. |
3. Affirmed or promised by an oath; confirmed by swearing; to which one is sworn.
| 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxxiii, Are you willing to barter sworn faith..to this wretched hypocritical sophistry? 1830 James Darnley I. v. 107 If it had been to-morrow, I'd not have gone upon the thing, for to-day my sworn service is out. 1909 tr. Hopf's Hum. Species 7 The Koran requires no such sworn evidence. |
b. with prep. or adv.: cf. swear v. III, IV.
| 1869 Adam Smith's W.N. i. v. I. 45 note, Bullion..not the produce of English coin..being called technically sworn-off gold. 1898 Westm. Gaz. 1 July 4/2 Their statistics and almost sworn-to facts could not hold water. |