vow(誓言、起誓的用法

1. 用作动词, 含义“发誓;立誓;起誓”

1.1 vow to do, 表达“做出你会去完成的严肃的承诺或决定”，例句如

【例句1】She vowed never to speak to him again.（她发誓再也不和他说话了。） [牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句2】While many models vow to go back to college, few do. （虽然许多模特发誓要重返大学，但很少有人这样做。）[柯林斯高级学者词典]

【例句3】After the awful meals we had last Christmas, I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. （去年圣诞节我们吃了一顿难吃的饭后，我发誓要多自己做饭。 ） [剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句4】Supporters have vowed to continue the protest until Adams is released. （支持者发誓要继续抗议，直到亚当斯获释。）[朗文当代英语辞典]

1.2 vow that, 接从句，如

【例句5】I vowed that I would never drink again. （我发誓再也不喝酒了。）[朗文当代英语辞典]

【例句6】I solemnly vowed that someday I would return to live in Europe. （我郑重发誓，总有一天我会回到欧洲生活。） [柯林斯高级学者词典]

that可以省略，如

【例句7】He vowed (that) he had not hurt her. （他发誓没有伤害她。 ）[牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句8】The guerrillas vowed (that) they would overthrow the government. （游击队发誓要推翻政府。） [剑桥高级学者辞典]

1.3 vowed something， 如

【例句9】They vowed eternal friendship.[牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句10】They have vowed a quick and decisive response. [柯林斯高级学者词典]

1.4 表达直接发誓引语 ，如

【例句11】'I'll be back,' she vowed. （“我会回来的，”她发誓。 ）[牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句12】'I'll kill him,' she vowed. （“我要杀了他，”她发誓。） [柯林斯高级学者词典]

2. 用作名词，含义“誓言;(尤指宗教的)誓约”

2.1 用作可数名词，a vow是做某件事的严肃承诺或决定，如

【例句13】I made a silent vow to be more careful in the future. （我默默地发誓，以后要更加小心。）[柯林斯高级学者词典]

【例句14】She took/made a vow never to lend money to anyone again. （她发誓再也不借钱给任何人了。）[剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句15】Jim made a vow that he would find his wife's killer. （吉姆发誓要找到杀害他妻子的凶手。）[朗文当代英语辞典]

【例句16】He had broken his vow of poverty. （他打破了贫穷的誓言。）[柯林斯高级学者词典]

【例句17】I had to admire David's vow that he would leave the programme. （我不得不佩服大卫离开这个项目的誓言。 ） [柯林斯高级学者词典]

可数的原因是vow的有始有终动作感或誓约的事件感强。

2.2 用作可数名词，表达“成套的严肃承诺”，比如两人结婚的婚约、宗教发誓。因为是“成套”，所以多用复数形式，如

【例句18】I took my marriage vows and kept them. （我立下了结婚誓言并遵守了。） [柯林斯高级学者词典]

【例句19】Nuns take a vow of chastity. （修女们宣誓保持贞洁。）[牛津高级学者辞典；也可以单数，说话人认为“贞洁”就是一件事]