v. [ad. (directly or through Fr. adjurer) L. adjūrā-re to swear to (a thing), also, in late L., to put (one) to an oath; f. ad to + jūrā-re to swear, f. jūs, jūr- oath. Our earliest instances occur as translating L. adjūrāre.]
† 1. To put (one) to his oath; ‘to impose an oath upon another, prescribing the form in which he shall swear,’ J.; to bind under the penalty of a curse. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Kings xviii. 10. He hath adjurid [Vulg. adjuravit] alle rewmes and folkis, for thi that thou art not foundun.
1539. Bible (‘Great’), 1 Sam. xiv. 28. Thy father adiured the people [Wyclif, boond the puple with an ooth], saying: Cursed be the man that eateth any sustinaunce. Ibid. (1611), Josh. vi. 26. Ioshua adiured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth vp and buildeth this city Iericho.
1612. Mason, Anat. Sorcerie, 75. We are constrained to make an English word of the Latine, saying (we adjure).
1643. Milton, Doct. Divorce, II. xvii. (1847), 152/2. The woman … was adjured by the priest to swear whether she were false or no.
2. To charge or entreat (any one) solemnly or earnestly, as if under oath, or under the penalty of a curse. Const. inf. or subord. cl.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 78/2. Raguel desired and adjured [Vulg. adjuravit] Thobie that he shold abyde with hym.
1597. T. Morley, Introd. Musicke, Pref. The earnest intreatie of my friends daily requesting, importuning, and as it were adiuring me.
1611. Bible, 1 Kings xxii. 16. How many times shall I adiure thee, that thou tell me nothing but that which is true?
1718. Pope, Iliad, XV. 794. Nestor most … exhorts, adjures, to guard these utmost shores.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 168. His friends adjured him to take more care of a life invaluable to his country.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Dead Pan, xxi. Poems, II. 417. Gods! we vainly do adjure you.
1873. J. G. Holland, Arth. Bonnic., i. 15. Standing by the truth, as he so feelingly adjured me to stand.
