Adjure: meaning, definitions and examples
⚖️
adjure
[ əˈdʒʊr ]
legal context
To adjure someone means to earnestly or solemnly urge them to do something. It often involves making a strong appeal, sometimes invoking a moral obligation or a sense of duty. The term is frequently used in legal settings, where a party might be asked to adjure a witness to tell the truth. This term implies a level of seriousness and may involve a formal oath or request.
Synonyms
beseech, entreat, implore, urge
Examples of usage
- The lawyer adjured the witness to speak the truth.
- He adjured his friends to stand by him in tough times.
- The judge adjured the defendant to adhere to the terms of his bail.
Translations
Translations of the word "adjure" in other languages:
🇵🇹 exortar
🇮🇳 प्रतिज्ञा करना
🇩🇪 einflehen
🇮🇩 memohon
🇺🇦 закликати
🇵🇱 wezwać
🇯🇵 誓う
🇫🇷 exhorter
🇪🇸 exhortar
🇹🇷 yemin etmek
🇰🇷 간청하다
🇸🇦 استحلف
🇨🇿 vyzvat
🇸🇰 vyzvať
🇨🇳 恳请
🇸🇮 zaprositi
🇮🇸 bjóða
🇰🇿 сұрау
🇬🇪 მოწოდება
🇦🇿 xahiş etmək
🇲🇽 exhortar
Etymology
The word 'adjure' comes from the Latin 'adiurare', which means 'to swear to', formed by 'ad-' (to) and 'iurare' (to swear). It first appeared in English in the 14th century, primarily within legal and religious texts. The usage during the Medieval period emphasized invoking a higher authority or moral force to compel action or truthfulness. Over time, 'adjure' has also been used more broadly in contexts outside of law or religion, reflecting its origins as a term that combines a formal appeal with an underlying seriousness. Its usage has remained relatively stable, often retaining that sense of gravity associated with the act of solemn pleading.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranking #35,039, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.
- ...
- 35036 nonmalignant
- 35037 lemur
- 35038 plumpness
- 35039 adjure
- 35040 shrike
- 35041 whinnied
- 35042 illogically
- ...