Spouse v.

Obs. exc. arch. Forms: 3–4 spuse (4 spusen, spus); 3–4 spose; 3–4 spousi, spousy, 4–5 spousen (5 spowsyn), 4–6 spowse, 3– spouse (Sc. spouss). [ad. OF. espuser, esposer, espouser: see ESPOUSE v. In some early examples the pa. t. and pa. pple. are formed without -d.]

  † 1.  trans. To join or unite in marriage or wedlock. Chiefly employed in the passive, and usu. const. to, unto, or with (a person). Obs.

c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., I. 110. So þat heo i-cristned was,… and i-spouse in þe place.

a. 1300.  Floriz & Bl., 788. He let hem to one Chirche bringe, And spusen hem wiþ one gold ringe.

c. 1300.  Havelok, 1175. He weren spused fayre and wel, Þe messe he deden eueridel.

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 6566. After mete asked king Ban … Whi Gvenour, his douhter precious, To sum gentil man nere yspouse.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 3. Ye ryde as coy and stille as dooth a mayde were newe spoused.

c. 1460.  Brut, ccxxxix. 338. Yn þis same ȝere come Quene Anne yn-to Engelond, for to be spoused vnto King Richard.

1491.  Caxton, Vitas Patr. (1495), I. xlviii. 93 b/2. He to whom I shold haue be spowsed and maryed wente his waye secretely.

1565.  Stapleton, trans. Bede’s Hist. Ch. Eng., 58. It was not lawfull for a Christian woman and virgin to be maried, or spoused to a paynime.

1595.  Locrine, I. i. Thou shalt be spoused to fair Guendolen.

1638.  Brathwait, Barnabees Jrnl., II. (1818), 63. Her I sought, but she was spoused.

  fig.  a. 1310.  in Wright, Lyric P., xxv. 72. Jesu, mi soule is spoused to the.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 142. Clerkis seien þat whan a man is brouȝt þus to Goddis chambre, þan he is fully spousid with God, and dowid [etc.].

1471.  Ripley, Comp. Alch., in Ashm. (1652), 186. Spowsyd wyth the Spryts of lyfe to lyve in love and rest.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 187. So the soule … begynneth to be spoused & coupled to God.

1615.  Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 89. The very hearts of her attendants … Were spous’d to this pure virgin euerywhere.

1667.  Milton, P. L., V. 216. They led the Vine To wed her Elm; she, spous’d, about him twines Her mariageable arms.

  2.  To give in marriage; to promote or procure the marriage of; to marry (esp. a woman to a man).

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 10839. Seint edmund þo at canterburi spousede to vr kinge Þe erles doȝter of prouence elianore to wive.

1305.  in E. P. P. (1862), 66. To spouse hire & his sone to-gadere he hadde iþoȝt.

1388.  Wyclif, 2 Cor. xi. 2. Y haue spousid ȝou to oon hosebonde.

1509.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1570), 97. If that a man of hye or lowe degree Would spouse his daughter vnto a straunge man.

1565.  Stapleton, Fortr. Faith, 85. I haue spoused you to one husband.

  refl.  1340.  Ayenb., 225. Þaȝ hit by zuo þet ha zeneȝi dyadliche þet efter zuych ane beheste him spouseþ.

c. 1430.  Life St. Kath. (1884), 83. And I haue spoused me to hym.

1528.  Roy, Rede me (Arb.), 9. Their vowes, Wherby theym selves they spowse To god.

  † b.  To betroth; = ESPOUSE v. 1. Obs.^–1

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, III. xvi. (S.T.S.), II. 9. O appius, I haue spousit my dochter to Icelius and nocht to þe.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. x. 4. The eldest two,… Fidelia and Speranza, virgins were; Though spousd, yet wanting wedlocks solemnize.

  3.  To take (a woman) as a wife; to marry, wed.

  Freq. from c. 1300 to c. 1450; now arch.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 589. So þat king lotrin … spouse is doȝter.

c. 1300.  Havelok, 2875. I rede þat þu hire take, And spuse.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 386. This Markys hath hire spoused with a ryng.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xxv. 450. He was gon in to Carmelide for to spouse his wif.

1475.  Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.), 24. King Lowes of Fraunce in his yong age … spoused the said Alienore.

a. 1513.  Fabyan, Chron. (1516), II. 129/2. In y^e moneth of Ianuary next ensuynge … kynge Philip spoused his seconde wyfe Blaunche.

1596.  Spenser, F. Q., V. iii. 2. To Faerie land; Where he her spous’d, and made his ioyous bride.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. ii. 283. He Spous’d in India, or Noble House, a Lady gay.

1805.  trans. Lafontaine’s Hermann & Emilia, II. 5. I will spouse Roslace; but Rolls shall not possess Emilia.

  fig.  1517.  Torkington, Pilgr. (1884), 12. They … Spoused the see with a ryng.

  b.  fig. To devote oneself to, to try (one’s fortune). Sc.

1822.  Galt, Sir A. Wylie, xciii. Your old companion … they say has spoused his fortune and gone to Indy.

1870.  R. Chambers, Pop. Rhymes Scot., 90. It was time for the wife that had twa sons to send them away to spouss their fortune.

  † 4.  absol. To take a spouse. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 2336. Wit þe lau þat þai liued in Men suld not spuse bot in þer kin. Ibid., 10653. Þen did þe biscop command þar, Þat all þe maidens … Be send all to þair frendes dere, For to mari and forto spus.

1622.  S. Ward, Christ All in All (1627), 21. Spouse not but in the Lord.