espouse

espouse
\ \ [15] Etymologically, to espouse something is the same as to sponsor it. Both words go back ultimately to Latin spondērepromise solemnly’. From it developed late Latin spōnsāre, which produced Old French espouser, source of the English verb. It originally meant ‘promise to marry’, but this particular semantic strand has survived only in the related noun spouse, and by the 17th century the now familiar metaphorical sense ‘adopt and support a cause’ had developed.
\ \ Cf.SPONSOR, SPOUSE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”