The verb swear has 5 senses (first 4 from tagged texts)
1. (20) curse, cuss, blaspheme, swear, imprecate -- (utter obscenities or profanities; "The drunken men were cursing loudly in the street")
2. (8) affirm, verify, assert, avow, aver, swan, swear -- (to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true; "Before God I swear I am innocent")
3. (2) swear -- (promise solemnly; take an oath)
4. (1) swear, depose, depone -- (make a deposition; declare under oath)
5. trust, swear, rely, bank -- (have confidence or faith in; "We can trust in God"; "Rely on your friends"; "bank on your good education"; "I swear by my grandmother's recipes")