Perjure /(?)/

Per·jure

Perjure

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Perjured; p. pr. & vb. n. Perjuring

  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.
  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.

Perjure

n.
  1. A perjured person. [Obs.]