Gave a deposition

• Prepared to testify
• Vowed southwest will get valuable mineral
• Affirmed on oath
• Gave one's word
• Affirmed forcefully
• Talked like a sailor, stereotypically
• Made a statement on a stack of Bibles?

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
See swear

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Swear \Swear\, v. i. [imp. Swore , formerly Sware ; p. p. Sworn ; p. pr. & vb. n. Swearing .] [OE. swerien, AS. swerian; akin to D. zweren, OS. swerian, OHG. swerien, G. schw["o]ren, Icel. sverja, Sw. sv["a]rja, Dan. sv[ae]rge, Icel. & Sw. svara to answer, ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
vb. (en-simple pastswear)