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Sing vs Swear - What's the difference?

sing | swear | Related terms |

Sing is a related term of swear.


As verbs the difference between sing and swear

is that sing is to produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice while swear is to take an oath or swear can be to be lazy; rest for a short while during working hours.

As nouns the difference between sing and swear

is that sing is a gathering for the purpose of singing songs while swear is a swearword.

As an adjective swear is

heavy.

sing

English

Verb

  • To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.
  • "I really want to sing in the school choir." said Vera .
  • To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.
  • * {{quote-book, 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, chapter=The Tutor's Daughter, Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page=266 citation
  • , passage=In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.}}
  • To soothe with singing.
  • to sing somebody to sleep
  • (slang) To confess under interrogation.
  • To make a small, shrill sound.
  • The air sings in passing through a crevice.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • O'er his head the flying spear / Sang innocent, and spent its force in air.
  • To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry.
  • * Prior
  • Bid her sing / Of human hope by cross event destroyed.
    (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * besing * sing along / sing-along * singer * sing from the same hymnbook * singing cowboy * sing out * singsong * sing soprano * sing the praises

    See also

    * singe

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gathering for the purpose of singing songs.
  • * 2002 , Martha Mizell Puckett, ?Hoyle B. Puckett, Memories of a Georgia Teacher: Fifty Years in the Classroom (page 198)
  • Some of the young folks asked Mrs. Long could they have a sing at her home that Sunday afternoon; she readily agreed, telling them to come early, bring their songbooks, and have a good sing.

    swear

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) sweren, swerien, from (etyl) through Proto-Indo-European.

    Verb

  • To take an oath.
  • *
  • *:The Bat—they called him the Bat.. He'd never been in stir, the bulls had never mugged him, he didn't run with a mob, he played a lone hand, and fenced his stuff so that even the fence couldn't swear he knew his face.
  • (lb) To use offensive language.
  • Synonyms
    * See also
    Usage notes
    * In sense 1, this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * swear by * swear like a trooper * swear on a stack of Bibles * swear out * swear to God * swear word

    Etymology 2

    From the above verb, or from (etyl) sware, from (etyl) swaru, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A swearword.
  • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) swer, swar, from (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l), (l)

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Heavy.
  • Top-heavy; too high.
  • Dull; heavy; lazy; slow; reluctant; unwilling.
  • Niggardly.
  • A lazy time; a short rest during working hours (especially field labour); a siesta.
  • Derived terms
    * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be lazy; rest for a short while during working hours.