betroth

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: be=troth

CIDE DICTIONARY

betroth, v. t. [Pref. be- + troth, i. e., truth. See Truth.].

•  To contract to any one for a marriage; to engage or promise in order to marriage; to affiance; -- used esp. of a woman.  [1913 Webster]

  "He, in the first flower of my freshest age,
  Betrothed me unto the only heir."  [1913 Webster]

  "Ay, and we are betrothed."  [1913 Webster]
•  To promise to take (as a future spouse); to plight one's troth to.  [1913 Webster]

  "What man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To nominate to a bishopric, in order to consecration.  Ayliffe.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

betroth, v.tr. (usu. as betrothed adj.) bind with a promise to marry.

Derivative

betrothal n.

Etymology

ME f. BE- + trouthe, treuthe TRUTH, later assim. to TROTH

ROGET THESAURUS

betroth

Promise

N promise, undertaking, word, troth, plight, pledge, parole, word of honor, vow, oath, profession, assurance, warranty, guarantee, insurance, obligation, contract, stipulation, engagement, preengagement, affiance, betroth, betrothal, betrothment, promising, promissory, votive, under hand and seal, upon oath, promised, affianced, pledged, bound, committed, compromised, in for it, as one's head shall answer for, in for a penny in for a pound, ex voto, gage d'amour.

VB promise, give a promise, undertake, engage, make an engagement, form an engagement, enter into an engagement, enter on an engagement, bind oneself, tie oneself, pledge oneself, commit oneself, take upon oneself, vow, swear, give one's word, pass one's word, pledge one's word, plight one's word, give one's honor, pass one's honor, pledge one's honor, plight one's honor, give credit, pass credit, pledge credit, plight credit, give troth, pass troth, pledge troth, plight troth, betroth, plight faith, assure, warrant, guarantee, covenant, attest, hold out an expectation, contract an obligation, become bound to, become sponsor for, answer for, be answerable for, secure, give security, underwrite, adjure, administer an oath, put to one's oath, swear a witness.

Marriage

VB marry, wive, take to oneself a wife, be married, be spliced, go off, pair off, wed, espouse, get hitched, lead to the hymeneal altar, take 'for better for worse', give one's hand to, bestow one's hand upon, marry, join, handfast, couple, tie the nuptial knot, give away, give away in marriage, seal, ally, affiance, betroth, publish the banns, bid the banns, be asked in church.