adjure

present singular third person adjures · participle present adjuring · participle past adjured · past adjured · first person past singular adjured · archaic present second person singular adjurest · past second person singular adjured · archaic past second person singular adjuredst · present singular third person adjures · archaic present singular third person adjureth · past singular third person adjured · past plural adjured · past subjunctive adjured · participle present adjuring · participle past adjured

1. transitiveTo formally command or request (someone) to do something, either in the name of a deity, or to suffer a curse or punishment if they do not comply; to bind (someone) under oath; to charge.

   And Joſhua adiured them at that time, ſaying, Curſed be the man before the Lord, that riſeth vp and buildeth this city Jericho: he ſhall lay the foundation therof in his firſt borne, and in his yongeſt ſonne ſhall hee ſet vp the gates of it.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Joshua 6:26, signature [U5], verso

   3 more examples

   […] Caiaphas the high Prieſt adjureth him [Jesus] in the name of God, vvho is very God, euen the Sonne of God, vvhich ſhevves vvhat a ſmall account he makes of the name of God: for he did it onely to get aduantage on Chriſts vvords: and ſo doe many novve a-daies, vvho for a little profit or gaine make a matter of nothing to abuſe the name of God a thouſand vvaies.

   1595, William Perkins, “Christs Arraignement”, in An Exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles, According to the Tenour of the Scriptures, and the Content of Orthodoxe Fathers of the Church, [Cambridge, Cambridgeshire]: […] Iohn Legatt printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge [a]nd are to be solde [by Richard Bankworth] […], →OCLC, page 207

   [T]he vvoman ſet before the Sanctuary vvith her head uncover'd, vvas adjur'd by the Prieſt to ſvvear vvhether ſhe vvas fals or no; and conſtrain'd to drink that bitter vvater vvith an undoubted curſe of rottenneſſe, and tympany to follovv, unleſſe ſhe vvere innocent.

   1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC, page 39

   [I[t is tranſlated in our Bible, Thou curſeſt, […] or laſtly, as the LXX. verſion, according to the Alex. copy [Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint] has it, έξώρκισας, thou adjuredſt, or conjuredſt, and ſpakeſt of it in mine ears, &c. […] And this ſenſe is greatly favoured by the context, and appears moſt natural. Even one of Mr. H.’s friends renders it by Thou execratedſt, or adjuredſt me.

   These are Your Gods, O God

   1751, Thomas Sharp, “אלה אלוה אלהים [These are Your Gods, O God]”, in Two Dissertations Concerning the Etymology and Scripture-meaning of the Hebrew Words Elohim and Berith. […], London: […] [William Bowyer] for J[ohn] and P[aul] Knapton […], →OCLC, pages 16–17

2. transitiveTo earnestly advise or urge (someone); to exhort.

   Party members are adjured to promote awareness of this problem.

   2 more examples

   […] Neſtor moſt / (The ſage Preſerver of the Grecian Hoſt) / Exhorts, adjures, to guard theſe utmoſt Shores; / And by their Parents, by themſelves, implores.

   1718, Homer, “Book XV”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume IV, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 197, lines 792–795

   Gelimer, […] harangued his troops, adjuring them to choose death rather than defeat, which involved slavery and the loss of all that made life delightful both for themselves and for these dear ones.

   1885, Thomas Hodgkin, “Belisarius”, in Italy and Her Invaders 476–535, volume III, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, book IV (The Ostrogothic Invasion), page 685

3. transitiveTo earnestly appeal to (someone, or a deity); to entreat, to implore.

   The Rabbis adjured her to endow the young man with his former virility, but she vehemently refused to do so.

   1936, Rollo Ahmed, “The Church and Monastic Black Magic”, in The Black Art, London: John Long, →OCLC, page 50

   3 more examples

   I adiure you ô daughters of Ieruſalem, by the roes, and the hartes of the fildes, that you rayſe not, nor make the beloued to avvake, vntil herſelfe vvil.

   1610, The Second Tome of the Holie Bible, […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Doway: Laurence Kellam, […], →OCLC, Canticle of Canticles 2:7, page 336

   [H]ow thoroughly as with thy cheerful voice thou pleasantly adjurest Sam the hostler "not to let him go yet," dost thou believe that quadruped desires to go, and would go if he might?

   1842 December – 1844 July, Charles Dickens, “Containing a Full Account of the Installation of Mr. Pecksniff's New Pupil into the Bosom of Mr. Pecksniff's Family. With All the Festivities Held on that Occasion, and the Great Enjoyment of Mr. Pinch.”, in The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1844, →OCLC, page 49

   'Then tell to me, and this great company, the tale whereof I have heard.' Thus adjured, I, in as few words as I could, related the history of the cannibal feast, and of the attempted torture of our poor servant.

   1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “Ayesha Gives Judgment”, in She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 172

   Synonyms: beg, beseech, plead

4. transitiveChristianityTo summon (the Devil or an evil spirit); to invoke; also, to exorcize (the Devil or an evil spirit).

   1 more example

   The Prieſt ties his ſtole about the neck of the poſſeſſed vvith three knots, and ſays, […] I exorciſe you [evil spirits], and adjure you, and command you, by the povver I have, that you incontinently hear the vvords of my conjuring, and perceive your ſelves overcome, and command you not to depart vvithout licenſe, and ſo I bind you vvith this ſtole of jucundity; […]

   1664, Jeremy [Taylor], “The Church of Rome, as It is at this Day Disordered, Teaches Doctrines, and Uses Practises, which are in Themselves, or in Their True and Immediate Consequences, Direct Impieties, and Give Warranty to a Wicked Life”, in A Disswasive from Popery to the People of Ireland. […], Dublin: […] John Crooke, […], and are to be sold by Samuel Dancer, →OCLC, section X, page 138

5. intransitiveChristianityTo summon the Devil or an evil spirit; also, to exorcize the Devil or an evil spirit.

   His daily exerciſe is to exorciſe or adjure.

   1649, Richard Hodges, Most Plain Directions for True-writing: […], London: […] W. D. for Rich[ard] Hodges […]; [a]lso by Nicolas Bourn, […], published 1653, →OCLC, page 7