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espouse

   Also found in: Wikipedia 0.03 sec.
es·pouse  (-spouz)
tr.v. es·poused, es·pous·ing, es·pous·es
1.
a. To take in marriage; marry.
b. To give (a woman) in marriage.
2. To give one's loyalty or support to (a cause, for example); adopt.

[Middle English espousen, from Old French espouser, from Latin spnsre, frequentative of spondre, to betroth; see spend- in Indo-European roots.]

es·pouser n.

espouse
Verb
[-pousing, -poused]
1. to adopt or give support to (a cause, ideal, etc.)
2. Old-fashioned (esp. of a man) to marry [Latin sponsare]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.espouse - choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans; "She followed the feminist movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals"
choose, pick out, select, take - pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives; "Take any one of these cards"; "Choose a good husband for your daughter"; "She selected a pair of shoes from among the dozen the salesgirl had shown her"
abide by, comply, follow - act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes; "He complied with my instructions"; "You must comply or else!"; "Follow these simple rules"; "abide by the rules"
adhere, stick - be a devoted follower or supporter; "The residents of this village adhered to Catholicism"; "She sticks to her principles"
2.espouseespouse - take in marriage
unite, unify - act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief
inmarry - marry within one's own tribe or group; "The inhabitants of this isolated village tend to inmarry"
mismarry - marry an unsuitable partner
marry, splice, wed, tie - perform a marriage ceremony; "The minister married us on Saturday"; "We were wed the following week"; "The couple got spliced on Hawaii"
wive - marry a woman, take a wife
wive - take (someone) as a wife
intermarry - marry within the same ethnic, social, or family group
remarry - marry, not for the first time; "After her divorce, she remarried her high school sweetheart"
3.espouse - take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own; "She embraced Catholicism"; "They adopted the Jewish faith"
fasten on, hook on, seize on, take up, latch on - adopt; "take up new ideas"
accept - consider or hold as true; "I cannot accept the dogma of this church"; "accept an argument"

espouse
Translations
Spanish espouse [ɪˈspauz] vtadherirse a
French espouse [ɪˈspauz] vtépouser, embrasser
German espouse [ɪsˈpauz] vteintreten für
Italian espouse [ɪˈspauz] vtabbracciare

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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
He well knew that fortune is generally the principal, if not the sole, consideration, which operates on the best of parents in these matters: for friendship makes us warmly espouse the interest of others; but it is very cold to the gratification of their passions.
In proportion as either prevails, it will be conveyed into the national representation; and for the very reason, that this will be an emanation from a greater variety of interests, and in much more various proportions, than are to be found in any single State, it will be much less apt to espouse either of them with a decided partiality, than the representation of any single State.
Effingham had, from the commencement of the disputes between the colonists and the crown, warmly maintained what he believed to be the just prerogatives of his prince; while, on the other hand, the clear head and independent mind of Temple had induced him to espouse the cause of the people.
 
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