Espouse

Espouse
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. [1913 Webster]

A virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph. --Luke i. 27. [1913 Webster]

2. To take as spouse; to take to wife; to marry. [1913 Webster]

Lavinia will I make my empress, . . . And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Promised faithfully to espouse his cause as soon as he got out of the war. --Bp. Burnet. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • espouse — [v1] stand up for; support accept, adopt, advocate, approve, back, champion, defend, embrace, get into*, go in for*, maintain, stand behind*, take on, take up, uphold; concept 10 Ant. forsake, reject espouse [v2] marry betroth, catch, take as… …   New thesaurus

  • espouse — I verb abet, accept, adopt, advocate, aid, ally, argue for, assist, associate with, back, become a participator, become a partisan, champion, choose, contribute to, cooperate, defend, embrace, endorse, enter into, favor, help, join, lend oneself… …   Law dictionary

  • espouse — mid 15c., to take as spouse, marry, from O.Fr. espouser marry, take in marriage, join in marriage (11c., Mod.Fr. épouser), from L. sponsare, pp. of spondere (see ESPOUSAL (Cf. espousal)). Extended sense of adopt, embrace a cause, party, etc., is… …   Etymology dictionary

  • espouse — embrace, *adopt Analogous words: *support, uphold, advocate, champion, back Contrasted words: renounce, *abjure, forswear: forsake, *abandon, desert …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • espousé — Espousé, [espous]ée. part. Il a les significations de son verbe. Espousée, est quelquefois subst. Où est l espousée? voilà une jolie espousée. mener l espousée à l Eglise. On dit prov. d Une personne ajustée, & parée ridiculement, qu Elle est… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • espouse — ► VERB ▪ adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life). ORIGIN Old French espouser, from Latin sponsus betrothed …   English terms dictionary

  • espouse — [e spouz′, ispouz′] vt. espoused, espousing [ME espousen < OFr espouser < LL sponsare < L sponsus: see SPOUSE] 1. to take as a spouse, esp. as a wife; marry 2. to give in marriage 3. to take up, support, or advocate (some cause, idea,… …   English World dictionary

  • espouse — UK [ɪˈspaʊz] / US verb [transitive] Word forms espouse : present tense I/you/we/they espouse he/she/it espouses present participle espousing past tense espoused past participle espoused formal to give your support to an idea, principle, or belief …   English dictionary

  • espouse — espouser, n. /i spowz , i spows /, v.t., espoused, espousing. 1. to make one s own; adopt or embrace, as a cause. 2. to marry. 3. to give (a woman) in marriage. [1425 75; late ME < MF espouser < L sponsare to betroth, espouse] Syn. 1. support,… …   Universalium

  • espouse — verb Espouse is used with these nouns as the object: ↑belief, ↑idea, ↑ideal, ↑ideology, ↑philosophy, ↑view, ↑virtue …   Collocations dictionary

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