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verb

betroth

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Betroth (verb) means of a man, to promise formally to marry a particular woman in the future.

verb
1
Of a man, to promise formally to marry a particular woman in the future.
2
To promise formally, often as a parent or guardian, that a couple will marry, especially to promise a woman in marriage to a man.
"The couple were betrothed not long after they met each other."
"He betrothed his daughter to a distant relative."
3
Used of God, to form a close bond with believers or the church; also used of a priest promising himself to the church before becoming a bishop.
4
To commit yourself firmly to a cause, or promise your efforts to it.
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Etymology

Comes from Middle English bitrouthen, bitreuthen ("of a man: to pledge to marry; to give (a woman) in marriage, arrange the marriage of"), from bi- (a prefix forming transitive verbs from nouns) + trouth, treuthe ("faithfulness, fidelity, specifically marital fidelity; promise, undertaking, specifically a promise of marriage; truth; etc.") (itself from Old English trīewþ, trēowþ ("fidelity; good faith, honour; assurance of good faith, covenant, troth; truth"), from Proto-Germanic *triwwiþō ("contract; promise"), from Proto-Indo-European *dóru ("tree; hence, firm, hard; faithful, true")), possibly modelled on Old English trēowsian ("to pledge oneself; to prove oneself to be true"). By surface analysis it is be- + troth.

Synonyms

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plight affiance engage

Related words

focus agree avoid arrest engaged rent operate lock

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of betroth?
"betroth" (verb) means of a man, to promise formally to marry a particular woman in the future.
What is another word for betroth?
Other words for "betroth" include plight, affiance, engage.
What are the different meanings of betroth?
"betroth" has 3 main meanings: 1. Of a man, to promise formally to marry a particular woman in the future; 2. To promise formally, often as a parent or guardian, that a couple will marry, especially to promise a woman in marriage to a man; 3. Used of God, to form a close bond with believers or the church; also used of a priest promising himself to the church before becoming a bishop.

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Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0