perjure — to lie deliberately while under oath in a court of law; (used reflexively) to make oneself guilty of perjury
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to lie deliberately while under oath in a court of law; (used reflexively) to make oneself guilty of perjury
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpɜːrdʒər/
Example Sentences
- He perjured himself so badly that even the judge started laughing.
- If you perjure yourself in a civil service exam interview, you could lose your job before you even start.
- The politician was accused of perjuring himself during the hearing.
perjure
VERB[/ˈpɜːrdʒər/]
to lie deliberately while under oath in a court of law; (used reflexively) to make oneself guilty of perjury
The witness chose to perjure himself, swearing a false oath in the crowded courtroom.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin perjurare, composed of per- (wrongly, falsely) and jurare (to swear). The word originally described the act of breaking an oath or making a false sworn statement, later developing into the modern legal sense of deliberately giving false testimony under oath.
Breakdown
per- (wrongly, falsely) + jurare (to swear, take an oath). The prefix per- intensifies or perverts the action of swearing, creating the sense of violating or breaking an oath.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“He perjured himself so badly that even the judge started laughing.”
“If you perjure yourself in a civil service exam interview, you could lose your job before you even start.”
“The politician was accused of perjuring himself during the hearing.”
“My cat would perjure herself in court if she could talk, swearing she never touched the fish.”
📚Related Words
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