Per"jure (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Perjured (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Perjuring.] [F. parjurer, L. perjurare,
perjerare; per through, over + jurare to swear.
See Jury.] 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.
Shak.
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.
Per"jure, n. [L. perjurus: cf.
OF. parjur, F. parjure.] A perjured person.
[Obs.] Shak.
