DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Es·pouse v. t. [imp. & p. p. Espoused p. pr. & vb. n. Espousing.]
 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.”
    Promised faithfully to espouse his cause as soon as he got out of the war.   --Bp. Burnet.
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