SWEARWORD

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SWEARWORD. A non-technical term for a WORD or PHRASE that is obscene, abusive, and socially offensive. Swearwords are usually associated with the genitals and sexual activity (cunt, fuck, prick), excrement (crap, shit), or religion (Jesus Christ!), and may combine elements from each area (fucking shit, fucking hell). Conceptions of what is or is not, should or should not be, a swearword have varied over the years. In the 19c, damn was widely regarded as a swearword, but is nowadays generally considered mild because, by and large, religious topics such as heaven and hell are no longer taken as seriously as in the past. See SWEARING.

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