swear the peace
English
Alternative forms
- pray the peace (obsolete)
Verb
swear the peace (third-person singular simple present swears the peace, present participle swearing the peace, simple past swore the peace, past participle sworn the peace)
- (now historical) To swear legally (against someone) that one is in fear of physical violence from a person, in order that they be put under bond to keep the peace. [from 17th c.]
- 1798, Mary Wollstonecraft, Maria: or, The Wrongs of Woman:
- He […] told me he despised my threats; I had no resource; I could not swear the peace against him!—I was not afraid of my life!—he had never struck me!
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