01 v. t. To cause to violate an oath or a vow; to cause to make oath knowingly to what is untrue; to make guilty of perjury; to forswear; to corrupt…
imp. & p. p.
Perjured; p. pr. & vb. n.
Perjuring
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1.
To cause to violate an oath or a vow; to cause to make oath knowingly to what is untrue; to make guilty of perjury; to forswear; to corrupt; -- often used reflexively; as, he perjured himself.“Want will perjure The ne'er-touched vestal.” — Shak.
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2.
To make a false oath to; to deceive by oaths and protestations.[Obs.]“And with a virgin innocence did pray For me, that perjured her.” — J. Fletcher.
Syn.
To Perjure, Forswear.
These words have been used interchangeably; but there is a tendency to restrict perjure to that species of forswearing which constitutes the crime of perjury at law, namely, the willful violation of an oath administered by a magistrate or according to law.