Meaning & use
adjured
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“adjured” is a form of “adjure”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitiveformalliterary
asked or ordered someone seriously and solemnly to do something.
Grammar: Takes an object: adjure someone. Often followed by to + infinitive: adjured them to leave.
Patterns
- adjure someone to do something
- adjure someone
The judge adjured the witness to tell the whole truth.
She adjured her son to keep the family secret.
He was adjured by his teacher to apologize at once.
verbtransitiveformalliterary
appealed to someone earnestly or desperately to do something.
Grammar: Takes an object: adjure someone. Often followed by to + infinitive: adjured him to stay.
Patterns
- adjure someone to do something
- adjure someone
The villagers adjured the mayor to help them.
She adjured him not to go out in the storm.
He adjured his friend to think again before quitting.
Word forms
| base form | adjure |
|---|---|
| third person singular | adjures |
| past tense | adjured |
| past participle | adjured |
| -ing form | adjuring |
Common combinations
- adjure someone to do something
- The priest adjured the congregation to pray for peace.
- adjure someone not to do something
- She adjured her brother not to tell anyone.
- solemnly adjure
- He solemnly adjured them to keep their promise.
- be adjured by someone
- They were adjured by their leader to remain calm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- beg
- Beg is more emotional and less formal than adjure; you beg a person for something, while you adjure someone to do something.
- urge
- Urge is common in everyday English and means to strongly advise; adjure is much more formal and solemn.
- command
- Command focuses on authority and can be official or military; adjure often has a moral or religious tone.
Word family
- adjuration noun
- a formal or solemn request or order.
Commonly confused: adjured or abjure? adjured or adjourn?
adjured vs abjure
Abjure means to promise to give up something, such as a belief or a claim. Adjure means to ask or order someone seriously to do something.
adjured vs adjourn
Adjourn means to stop a meeting and continue it later. Adjure is about asking or ordering someone solemnly.
Practice
The old man ___ the young soldier to spare his village.
Choose one answer.
Adjure takes a direct object and is followed by to + infinitive: adjured the soldier to spare. 'Adjured to' is wrong because the to belongs before the infinitive, not directly after the verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “adjured”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.