foreswear
Pledge to abandon
Foreswear means to renounce or reject something under oath or with solemn resolve: He foreswore alcohol after the accident.
The word carries weight—it suggests not just giving something up but formally repudiating it.
To foreswear oneself is to commit perjury, breaking an oath previously taken.
The past tense is forswore, past participle forsworn.
Formally give up
- abjureSolemnly reject or recant
- repudiateReject as having no authority
- disavowDeny any association
- recantFormally withdraw a statement
retract · relinquish · forsake · abandon · disclaim · disown · eschew · abnegate
Solemn personal commitment
- promiseCommitment to act
- oathFormal binding promise
- covenantBinding formal pledge
- bondBinding tie or connection
pledge · commitment · allegiance · fealty · troth · word · guarantee · undertaking
Criminal courtroom dishonesty
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
- disloyaltyBreach of allegiance
- infidelityDisloyalty to a partner
falsehood · deceit · dishonor · breach · duplicity · faithlessness · backsliding · violation
renounce
Formally give up
recant · retract · relinquish · forsake · abandon · disclaim · disown · eschew · abnegate · withdraw
vow
Solemn personal commitment
bond · pledge · commitment · allegiance · fealty · troth · word · guarantee · undertaking · dedication
perjury
Criminal courtroom dishonesty
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
- disloyaltyBreach of allegiance
infidelity · falsehood · deceit · dishonor · breach · duplicity · faithlessness · backsliding · violation · lying