I swear is used to make an oath of honesty, particularly in legal settings. In less formal use,I swear is used for emphasis or exaggeration when sharing something exciting, frustrating, or hard to believe.
the best-known courtroom oath in the US is “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” In British, Irish, and Australian courtrooms, the oath goes: “I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
As such, the phrase I swear has long been associated with a promise that brings with it the punishments of perjury, whether divine or legal.
Today, I swear is widely used in similar solemn contexts, often also referencing the Bible (e.g., I swear on the Bible or I swear to God) to reinforce the seriousness of the situation.
From law and religion, I swear has drifted into romance. “I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky / I’ll be there.” I swear has also drifted into colloquial speech, where it’s used for emphasis in exciting or exasperating situations.
oath：宣誓；誓言 a formal promise to do sth or a formal statement that sth is true
perjury：N-UNCOUNT 伪证；伪证罪 If someone who is giving evidence in a court of law commits perjury, they lie.
solemn：ADJ-GRADED 严肃的;庄严的 Someone or something that is solemn is very serious rather than cheerful or humorous. ADJ-GRADED (承诺、协定等)庄严的，郑重的 A solemn promise or agreement is one that you make in a very formal, sincere way.
colloquial：ADJ-GRADED 口语的;会话的 Colloquial words and phrases are informal and are used mainly in conversation.
exasperating：ADJ-GRADED 让人恼火的;气人的 If you describe someone or something as exasperating, you mean that you feel angry or frustrated by them or by what they do.
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