3 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
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.
A virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph.
--Luke i. 27.
2. To take as spouse; to take to wife; to marry.
Lavinia will I make my empress, . . . And in the
sacred Pantheon her espouse. --Shak.
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.
Promised faithfully to espouse his cause as soon as
he got out of the war. --Bp. Burnet.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
espouse
v 1: choose and follow as of theories, ideas, policies,
strategies or plans; "She followed the feminist
movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals"
[syn: {adopt}, {follow}]
2: take in marriage [syn: {marry}, {get married}, {wed}, {conjoin},
{hook up with}, {get hitched with}]
3: take up the cause or ideology of (beliefs, tasks, etc.)
[syn: {embrace}, {sweep up}, {adapt}]
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Espouse
(2 Sam. 3:14), to betroth. The espousal was a ceremony of
betrothing, a formal agreement between the parties then coming
under obligation for the purpose of marriage. Espousals are in
the East frequently contracted years before the marriage is
celebrated. It is referred to as figuratively illustrating the
relations between God and his people (Jer. 2:2; Matt. 1:18; 2
Cor. 11:2). (See {BETROTH}.)
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