oath

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Law

oath /əʊθ $ oʊθ/ noun (plural oaths /əʊðz $ oʊðz/) [countable] 1 PROMISEa formal and very serious promise 誓言，誓约，誓词oath of loyalty/allegiance/obedience etc an oath of allegiance to the Queen 效忠女王的誓言swear/take an oath Servicemen have to swear an oath of loyalty to their country. 军人必须宣誓效忠祖国。 The president took the oath of office (=made the official public promises that every president makes when starting their job). 总统宣誓就职。 She could not break her oath. 她不能违背誓言。2 lawSCT a formal promise to tell the truth in a court of law 〔在法庭上的〕誓词，誓言on/under oath The evidence was given under oath. 这一证词是立过誓的。 Witnesses are required to take the oath (=make this promise). 证人必须宣誓。3 SWEAR written an offensive word or phrase that expresses anger, surprise, shock etc 诅咒，咒骂 He was shouting out oaths as they led him away. 他们把他带走时，他一直大声咒骂。n COLLOCATIONSverbsswear/take an oathAs children, they took an oath of friendship.violate/break an oath (=do something you promised not to do)I do not expect you to violate your oath.be bound by an oath (=have sworn an oath)These chiefs were bound to him by oaths of loyalty.phrasesan oath of loyalty/allegiance/obedienceThey swore an oath of allegiance to the crown.an oath of secrecyAnyone who joined had to swear an oath of secrecy.the oath of office (=the oath a government worker swears to do a job honestly and well)ADJECTIVES/NOUN + oath a solemn oath (=a very serious oath)He swore a solemn oath never to tell.a sacred oath (=one you swear by God)Stephen swore a sacred oath to recognise Matilda as Queen.the presidential oath (=sworn by a new president)the oldest person ever to take the presidential oath for the first timethe coronation oath (=sworn by a king or queen when they are crowned)

Examples from the Corpus

oath• Adams was elected to the British Parliament, but refused to swear an oath to the English Queen.• Public officials must take an oath to support the U.S. Constitution.• He shouted oaths and curses as they took him away.• The president takes the oath of office in a public ceremony.• He admitted that he had lied under oath.take the oath• The first thing you will do as a witness in court is to take the oath.From Longman Business Dictionaryoathoath /əʊθoʊθ/ noun [countable]1a formal promise to do somethingThe president has taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution.The new president will take the oath of office next week.2be under oath (also be on oath British English)LAW to have made a formal promise to tell the truth in a court of lawThe defendant acknowledged that he lied under oath.The witnesses should be examined on oath.3take the oath to make a formal promise to tell the truth in a court of lawOrigin oath Old English ath

oath noun →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese

very Corpus Business and promise a serious formal

oath
oath /əʊθ $ oʊθ/

noun (plural oaths /əʊðz $ oʊðz/) [countable]

Language: Old English
Origin: ath

1. a formal and very serious promise
oath of loyalty/allegiance/obedience etc

an oath of allegiance to the Queen
swear/take an oath

Servicemen have to swear an oath of loyalty to their country.

The president took the oath of office (=made the offiicial public promises that every president makes when starting their job).

She could not break her oath.
2. law a formal promise to tell the truth in a court of law
on/under oath

The evidence was given under oath.

Witnesses are required to take the oath (=make this promise).
3. written an offensive word or phrase that expresses anger, surprise, shock etc:

He was shouting out oaths as they led him away.

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ swear/take an oath As children, they took an oath of friendship.
   ▪ violate/break an oath (=do something you promised not to do) I do not expect you to violate your oath.
   ▪ be bound by an oath (=have sworn an oath) These chiefs were bound to him by oaths of loyalty.
■ phrases
   ▪ an oath of loyalty/allegiance/obedience They swore an oath of allegiance to the crown.
   ▪ an oath of secrecy Anyone who joined had to swear an oath of secrecy.
   ▪ the oath of office (=the oath a government worker swears to do a job honestly and well)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + oath
   ▪ a solemn oath (=a very serious oath) He swore a solemn oath never to tell.
   ▪ a sacred oath (=one you swear by God) Stephen swore a sacred oath to recognise Matilda as Queen.
   ▪ the presidential oath (=sworn by a new president) the oldest person ever to take the presidential oath for the first time
   ▪ the coronation oath (=sworn by a king or queen when they are crowned)

THESAURUS

   ▪ promise a statement that you will definitely do or provide something, which may not be reliable: ‘I’ll call you tomorrow.’ ‘Is that a promise?’ | Politicians are always making promises.
   ▪ pledge a public or official promise to do a particular thing in the future: The Government has fulfilled at least 50% of its election pledges. | We have received pledges of help from various organizations.
   ▪ vow a very serious promise to do something or not to do something that you choose to make: He made a vow never to drink alcohol again. | your marriage vows
   ▪ oath a formal promise, especially one that someone makes in a court of law: Witnesses swear a solemn oath to tell the truth. | Public officials must take an oath to support the US Constitution.
   ▪ undertaking a serious or public promise to do something, especially something difficult which needs a lot of effort or money: The police have given an undertaking to reduce street crime in the city centre. | He was made to sign a written undertaking that he would not go within a mile of her house.
   ▪ assurance a promise that something will happen or is true, made so that someone is less worried or more confident: You have my assurance that it won’t happen again. | The manager gave me his personal assurance that the goods would be delivered today.
   ▪ guarantee a very definite promise that something will happen. A guarantee is also a formal written promise by a company to repair or replace a product free if it has a fault within a fixed period of time.: With any diet, there’s no guarantee of success. | I’m afraid I can’t give you a 100% guarantee. | Is the camera still under guarantee (=within the period during which it can be repaired or replaced free)?

oath

BrE

/əʊθ/

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NAmE

/oʊθ/

🔊

noun

(

oaths

BrE

/əʊðz/

🔊

NAmE

/oʊðz/

🔊

)

a formal promise to do sth or a formal statement that sth is true 宣誓；誓言

◆to

take/swear an oath

of allegiance宣誓效忠

◆Before giving evidence, witnesses in court have to

take the oath

(= promise to tell the truth). 作证之前，证人必须当庭宣誓据实作证。

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<titled tranID="34" status="2">Voting in elections<chnsep> </chnsep><chn>在选举中投票</chn></titled>

Running for election 参加选举

conduct/hold an election/a referendum 举行选举／全民公决
(especially NAmE) run for office/election/governor/mayor/president/the White House 竞选公职；参加竞选；竞选州长／市长／总统／美国总统
(especially BrE) stand for election/office/Parliament/the Labour Party/a second term 参加竞选；竞选公职／议会议员；当工党候选人；竞选连任
hold/call/contest a general/national election 举行／要求／角逐大选／全国选举
launch/run a presidential election campaign 开始总统竞选活动
support/back a candidate 支持候选人
sway/convince/persuade voters/the electorate 说服选民／全体选民
appeal to/attract/woo/target (NAmE) swing voters/(BrE) floating voters 吸引游离选民；寻求游离选民的支持；瞄准游离选民
fix/rig/steal an election/the vote 操纵选举；暗中舞弊获取选票

Voting 投票

go to/be turned away from (especially BrE) a polling station/(NAmE) a polling place 去／被拒绝进入投票站投票
cast a/your vote/ballot (for sb) 投（某人）一票
vote for the Conservative candidate/the Democratic party 投票给保守党候选人／民主党
mark/spoil your ballot paper 在选票上做标记；投废票
count (BrE) the postal votes/(especially NAmE) the absentee ballots 清点邮寄选票数
go to/be defeated at the ballot box 去投票箱投票；竞选失败
get/win/receive/lose votes 赢得／失去选票
get/win (60% of) the popular/black/Hispanic/Latino/Muslim vote 赢得大众／黑人／拉美裔／穆斯林 (60%) 的选票
win the election/(in the US) the primaries/a seat in Parliament/a majority/power 赢得大选／（美国的）初选／议会中的一个席位／多数票／权力
lose an election/the vote/your majority/your seat 在选举中失败；失去多数人的支持／席位
win/come to power in a landslide (victory) (= with many more votes than any other party) 以压倒多数的选票获胜／掌权
elect/re-elect sb (as) mayor/president/an MP/senator/congressman/congresswoman 选举／再度选举某人为市长／总统／议员／参议员／国会议员／国会女议员