I.the object by which one swears, the witness of an oath, as the Styx among the gods, Hom., etc.:—hence,
2.an oath, id=Hom., etc.; ὅρκος θεῶν an oath by the gods, Od.; ὅρκον ὀμόσαι to swear an oath, Hom., etc.; ὅρκον ἐπιορκεῖν to take a false oath, Aeschin.; ὅρκον διδόναι καὶ δέξασθαι to tender an oath to another and accept the tender from him, Hdt., attic; ὅρκον ἀποδιδόναι to take an oath, ἀπολαμβάνειν to tender it, Dem.; so, ὅρκον διδόναι καὶ λαμβάνειν Arist.; ὅρκοις τινὰ καταλαμβάνειν to bind one by oaths, Thuc.; ὅρκῳ ἐμμένειν to abide by it, Eur.; εἶπαι ἐπ᾽ ὅρκου to say on oath, Hdt.
ὅρκος was orig. equiv. to ἕρκος, as ὁρκάνη to ἑρκάνη, from ἔργω, εἴργω, properly, that which restrains from doing a thing.
