A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

swallow the Bible • swallow the dictionary
swallow the Bible —(U.S. coll.) perjure oneself (with reference
to swearing on the Bible in a court of law): They will stick
together, stretch conscience and at times “swallow the Bible.”
swallow the dictionary —(coll.) use long or difficult words
(used showing disapproval): Have you swallowed a dictionary?
We shall have to sack this fellow if he gets to talk English too
well.
swear against someone • swear at someone
swear against someone —(legal) swear a charge against a per-
son: No one endeavored to make him swear against the pris-
oner.
swear at someone —use profane language toward a person:
All the drivers were swearing at each other at the top of their
voices.
swear at something • swear on something
swear at something —curse smth.: The accident was holding
up traffic heading for a major football event, and he could
hear people swearing at the delay.
swear on something —
1
. (also: swear by something ) call smth.
held holy as witness to the truth of what one says: I swear on
my soul that this really happened. 2. (also: swear to something )
have great confidence in the value of smth. (often negat.): I
can’t swear on the quality for all of his models, but this one
was really decent for the price.
swear on a stack of Bibles • swear on the Bible
swear on a stack of Bibles —promise solemnly that what one
says is true: Your telephone company will swear on a stack of
Bibles that nothing will disrupt service to you, the valued cus-
tomer.
swear on the Bible —
1
. place one’s hand on the Bible in a
court of law pledging to tell the truth: A court officer will ask
you to swear on the Bible or promise to tell the truth. 2. =
swear on a stack of Bibles: There are probably a lot of people
that think I’m lying, and I swear on the Bible that this story
is true.