mar·riage /ˈmɛrɪʤ, ˈmærɪʤ/
  婚姻,密切結合,結婚,婚禮,合并
  marriage
  配對
  Mar·riage n.
  1. The act of marrying, or the state of being married; legal union of a man and a woman for life, as husband and wife; wedlock; matrimony.
     Marriage is honorable in all.   --Heb. xiii. 4.
  2. The marriage vow or contract. [Obs.]
  3. A feast made on the occasion of a marriage.
     The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son.   --Matt. xxii. 2.
  4. Any intimate or close union.
  5. In pinochle, bézique, and similar games at cards, the combination of a king and queen of the same suit. If of the trump suit, it is called a royal marriage.
  Marriage brokage. (a) The business of bringing about marriages. (b) The payment made or demanded for the procurement of a marriage.
  Marriage favors, knots of white ribbons, or bunches of white flowers, worn at weddings.
  Marriage settlement Law, a settlement of property in view, and in consideration, of marriage.
  Syn: -- Matrimony; wedlock; wedding; nuptials.
  Usage: -- Marriage, Matrimony, Wedlock. Marriage is properly the act which unites the two parties, and matrimony the state into which they enter. Marriage is, however, often used for the state as well as the act. Wedlock is the old Anglo-Saxon term for matrimony.
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  marriage
       n 1: the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for
            life (or until divorce); "a long and happy marriage";
            "God bless this union" [syn: matrimony, union, spousal
            relationship, wedlock]
       2: two people who are married to each other; "his second
          marriage was happier than the first"; "a married couple
          without love" [syn: married couple, man and wife]
       3: the act of marrying; the nuptial ceremony; "their marriage
          was conducted in the chapel" [syn: wedding, marriage
          ceremony]
       4: a close and intimate union; "the marriage of music and
          dance"; "a marriage of ideas"
  Marriage
     was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Gen.
     2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed
     by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be
     framed (Matt. 19:4, 5). It is evident that monogamy was the
     original law of marriage (Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 6:16). This law was
     violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be
     introduced (Gen. 4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of
     polygamy and concubinage in the patriarchal age (Gen. 16:1-4;
     22:21-24; 28:8, 9; 29:23-30, etc.). Polygamy was acknowledged in
     the Mosaic law and made the basis of legislation, and continued
     to be practised all down through the period of Jewish histroy to
     the Captivity, after which there is no instance of it on record.
       It seems to have been the practice from the beginning for
     fathers to select wives for their sons (Gen. 24:3; 38:6).
     Sometimes also proposals were initiated by the father of the
     maiden (Ex. 2:21). The brothers of the maiden were also
     sometimes consulted (Gen. 24:51; 34:11), but her own consent was
     not required. The young man was bound to give a price to the
     father of the maiden (31:15; 34:12; Ex. 22:16, 17; 1 Sam. 18:23,
     25; Ruth 4:10; Hos. 3:2) On these patriarchal customs the Mosaic
     law made no change.
       In the pre-Mosaic times, when the proposals were accepted and
     the marriage price given, the bridegroom could come at once and
     take away his bride to his own house (Gen. 24:63-67). But in
     general the marriage was celebrated by a feast in the house of
     the bride's parents, to which all friends were invited (29:22,
     27); and on the day of the marriage the bride, concealed under a
     thick veil, was conducted to her future husband's home.
       Our Lord corrected many false notions then existing on the
     subject of marriage (Matt. 22:23-30), and placed it as a divine
     institution on the highest grounds. The apostles state clearly
     and enforce the nuptial duties of husband and wife (Eph.
     5:22-33; Col. 3:18, 19; 1 Pet. 3:1-7). Marriage is said to be
     "honourable" (Heb. 13:4), and the prohibition of it is noted as
     one of the marks of degenerate times (1 Tim. 4:3).
       The marriage relation is used to represent the union between
     God and his people (Isa. 54:5; Jer. 3:1-14; Hos. 2:9, 20). In
     the New Testament the same figure is employed in representing
     the love of Christ to his saints (Eph. 5:25-27). The Church of
     the redeemed is the "Bride, the Lamb's wife" (Rev. 19:7-9).