Abjure, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abjured; p. pr. & vb. n. Abjuring.]
Etymology: [L. abjurare to deny upon oath; ab + jurare to swear, fr. jus, juris, right, law; cf. F. abjurer. See Jury.]
1. To renounce upon oath; to forswear; to disavow; as, to abjure allegiance to a prince. To abjure the realm, is to swear to abandon it forever.
2. To renounce or reject with solemnity; to recant; to abandon forever; to reject; repudiate; as, to abjure errors. "Magic I here abjure." Shak.
Syn. -- See Renounce.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Abjure, v. i.
To renounce on oath. Bp. Burnet.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for abjure; he lists it under abandon, renounce.
Where he writes about it:
Abjure, discard, forswear, recall, recant, renounce, retract, and revoke, like abandon, imply some previous connection. — from renounce
Abjure (L. ab, away, and juro, swear) is etymologically the exact equivalent of the Saxon forswear, signifying to put away formally and under oath, as an error, heresy, or evil practise, or a condemned and detested person. — from renounce
A native of the United States can not abjure or renounce allegiance to the Queen of England, but will promptly deny or repudiate it. — from renounce