swornadj.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 824 He woren breðere of kinde boren, And abram woren he breðre sworen.

c1384 G. Chaucer Hous of Fame iii. 1010 I wol ensuren the..That I shal neuer fro the go But be thyn ovne sworen brother.

c1440 Generydes 4834 His sworn broder he was in sothfastnes.

c1460 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 A. Fleming tr. Cicero in Panoplie Epist. 21 Although I had beene your sworne and professed foe.

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II v. i. 20 I am sworne brother (sweet) To grim necessitie, and he and I, Will keepe a league till death. View more context for this quotation

1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing i. i. 69 Who is his companion now? he hath euery month a new sworne brother. View more context for this quotation

1610 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes (ed. 2) 1152 Those sworne enemies of the Christian Religion.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) i. ii. 168 Now my sworne Friend, and then mine Enemy. View more context for this quotation

a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Northampt. 301 Private profit is (though a secret) a Sworn enemy to the general good.

1780 W. Cowper On Burning Ld. Mansfield's Libr. 2 The Vandals of our isle, Sworn foes to sense and law.

1846 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) x. 90 That boy's father and myself, Sir, were sworn friends.

1870 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (ed. 2) I. App. 690 Cnut..proposes that they [sc. he and Eadmund] shall..divide the Kingdom and become sworn brothers (‘fratres adoptivi’).

a1616 W. Shakespeare Timon of Athens (1623) iii. vi. 66 He's a sworne Riotor. View more context for this quotation

1808 W. Scott Marmion vi. xvi. 341 Thou sworn horse-courser, hold thy peace.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. i. ii. 16 The Soldiers at Jalès,..were in heart sworn Sansculottes.

1856 C. Merivale Hist. Romans under Empire IV. xl. 469 Every theory had its special teacher, every paradox its sworn defender.

1433 Rolls of Parl. IV. 432/1 Certain bokes and recordes of youre Eschequier, made by youre sworn Officers.

1445 in J. Stuart Extracts Council Reg. Aberdeen (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.].

1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear xi. 73 Sweare not, commit not with mans sworne spouse. View more context for this quotation

a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) ii. i. 20 The Iury..May in the sworne-twelue haue a thiefe, or two Guiltier then him they try. View more context for this quotation

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 Matthews's New Bristol Directory 1793–4 30 Dunn, John, Sworn-measurer, Glocester-lane.

1819 P. B. Shelley Rosalind & Helen 18 To be His sworn bride eternally.

1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward III. vii. 181 The Duke of Burgundy, the sworn vassal of France.

1842 Act 5 & 6 Victoria c. 103. §1 The Offices of Comptrollers of the Hanaper, Six Clerks, Sworn Clerks, and Waiting Clerks..are hereby abolished.

1846 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) ix. 82 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.

1571 E. Grindal Iniunctions Prouince of Yorke §22. sig. C.iij^v That the Churchwardens and sworne men of euerie Parishe shall halfeyearely..present to the Ordinarie the names of all such persons of their Parishe, as be..blasphemers of the name of God [etc.].

1582 C. Fetherston Dialogue agaynst Dauncing sig. C5 By this you seeme to burthen Churchwardens and sworne men with periurie.

1593 R. Harvey Philadelphus 4 Brute and his fellowes swornemen were worth all the rest.

1611 M. Smith in Bible (King James) 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 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. 204 Being found guilty by a Iurie of twelue sworne men.

1800 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 4 88 To remove all doubt, six sworn men were appointed from different places in the neighbourhood to watch her day and night.

1821 W. Scott Kenilworth I. vii. 159 Richard Varney is my sworn man, and a close brother of my secret council.

1890 E. Lamond tr. Walter of Henley's Husb. 7 Survey your lands and tenements by true and sworn men.

1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor vi, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. III. 80 Are you willing to barter sworn faith..to this wretched hypocritical sophistry?

1830 G. P. R. 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.

1869 J. E. T. Rogers in A. Smith Inq. Wealth Nations (new ed.) I. i. v. 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.