Espoused

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Espouse \Es*pouse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Espoused}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Espousing}.] [OF. espouser, esposer, F. ['e]pouser,
     L. sponsare to betroth, espouse, fr. sponsus betrothed, p. p.
     of spondere to promise solemnly or sacredly. Cf. {Spouse}.]
     1. To betroth; to promise in marriage; to give as spouse.
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              A virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph.
                                                    --Luke i. 27.
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     2. To take as spouse; to take to wife; to marry.
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              Lavinia will I make my empress, . . .
              And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse. --Shak.
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     3. To take to one's self with a view to maintain; to make
        one's own; to take up the cause of; to adopt; to embrace.
        "He espoused that quarrel." --Bacon.
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              Promised faithfully to espouse his cause as soon as
              he got out of the war.                --Bp. Burnet.
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