# Etymology - which came first, "oath" or "swear", as applied to cursing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-which-came-first-oath-or-swear-as-applied-to-cursing/356278 "2006-05-10T21:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-which-came-first-oath-or-swear-as-applied-to-cursing/356278/1 "2006-05-10T21:28:26Z")
These two words seem related; they are both related to the double meaning of “to affirm” and “to curse”. Are they related, and if so, which came first? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-which-came-first-oath-or-swear-as-applied-to-cursing/356278/2 "2006-05-10T21:33:13Z")
“To swear an oath” dates back to 472 A.D. (OED). The meaning, “to curse,” dates from 1225. Very old, but not old enough. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-which-came-first-oath-or-swear-as-applied-to-cursing/356278/3 "2006-05-10T22:22:23Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > “To swear an oath” dates back to 472 A.D. (OED). It also shows up (at least) in translations of earlier works: > [@](#): > > and he then swore a mighty oath that thou shouldst never be called the bride of an immortal god. [The Argonautica, book four](http://www.authorama.com/argonautica-5.html) ~ [200 BC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonius_Rhodius).