Perjure word meaning and definition

[verb] knowingly tell an untruth in a legal court and render oneself guilty of perjury

\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}. Usage: 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.

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