swear on a stack of bibles
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.99 in modern English
37
Scrabble Score
21
Letters
3
Syllables
14
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "Why not check me into a sanatorium, let them watch me, examine me, give me the tests? In twelve hours they can tell whether I'm lying or not. If I'm clean, I'll be all right. If I'm not, I'll get sick as a dog, start throwing up at both ends, and this would prove I'm a damn liar. It would be better than all the affidavits in the world. I could swear on a stack of Bibles, but who would believe me? […] So I did it. It cost me almost a thousand dollars to pay the doctors to watch me and supervise me down to the last minute so they could go to court and make a statement. I stayed there four days; and when I left, everyone in the place was ready to swear on a stack of Bibles that I was clean."
- "Says L.A. Times Managing Editor Frank McCulloch: "I know it looks bad, but I'll swear on a stack of Bibles it's a sheer coincidence.""
- "“Sissy, promised you won’t tell Daddy. Swear on a stack of Bibles.” He leaned into his sister and sniffled against her chest. / “I promise,” she answered. “Now what is it?” / “Swear, Sissy. Swear on a stack of Bibles!” / Copper yawned mightily, wishing to sink back under the bedclothes. “Oh, Willy, we don’t have a stack of Bibles. Besides, it’s a sin to swear. Just tell me.”"
- "‘Swear it! C’mon, swear it on a stack of Bibles!’ / ‘I swear on a stack of Bibles I’ll never tell, cross my heart and hope to die,’ I say, adding the extra bit for good measure."
- "Already most of us feel somewhat softer toward Japan than we swore on a stack of Bibles we ever would feel."
- "From what has been said so far, […] and their many perjuries in front of the judges during interrogation (because don't care about perjuring themselves and drawing down curses upon themselves and swearing on a stack of Bibles), it is clear that, because of their essential nature and formal profession of belief and reception into their congregation, these Waldensians are apostates from the faith, idolaters and guilty of the crime of treason against God; […]"
Etymology
From the practice of some people making an oath on a Bible to tell the truth when testifying in court.
Inflected Forms
swears on a stack of Bibles (present, singular)
swearing on a stack of Bibles (participle, present)
swore on a stack of Bibles (past)
sworn on a stack of Bibles (participle, past)
swear on a stack (alternative)
swear on stacks of Bibles (alternative)
promise on a stack of Bibles (alternative)
Phrases
Frequently Paired Words
Synonyms
swear on one's life
swear on the Bible