swear at
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To be disagreeably incongruous with, especially in colour; to clash.
Register: colloquial, dated
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
[…] in several instances there was another and quite a different red in the gown, which “swore” at its relative on the parasol.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see swear, at.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “swear at” mean?
To be disagreeably incongruous with, especially in colour; to clash.
Is “swear at” formal or informal?
swear at is generally colloquial, dated.