verb
Meaning 1
To marry.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
espouse
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /ɪˈspaʊz/
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/ɪˈspaʊs/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -aʊz
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rhymes with -aʊs
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CMU ARPABET: IH0 S P AW1 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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CMU ARPABET 2: IH0 S P AW1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To accept, support, or take on as one’s own (an idea or a cause).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Qualifier: modern usage
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- She embraced Catholicism
- They adopted the Jewish faith
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: embrace, adopt, sweep up
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: accept
Narrower terms: take up, latch on, fasten on, hook on, seize on
verb
Meaning 4
choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- She followed the feminist movement
- The candidate espouses Republican ideals
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: adopt, follow
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: choose, take, select, pick out
Narrower terms: adhere, stick
verb
Meaning 5
take in marriage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: marry, get married, wed, conjoin, hook up with, get hitched with
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unite, unify
Narrower terms: inmarry, mismarry, wive, intermarry, remarry
History
Etymology
From Middle English espousen, borrowed from Old French espouser, from Latin spōnsāre (frequentative of spondeō), from Proto-Indo-European *spend-.
Across languages
Translations
52 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: женя се (ženja se) — to marry
- Czech: vdát se — to marry
- Czech: oženit se — to marry
- Czech: vdávat se — to marry
- Czech: ženit se — to marry
- Dutch: trouwen met — to marry
- Dutch: in het huwelijk treden met — to marry
- Dutch: tot man nemen — to marry
- Dutch: tot vrouw nemen — to marry
- Esperanto: geedziĝi je — to marry
- French: épouser — to marry
- German: heiraten — to marry
- German: ehelichen — to marry
- German: sich vermählen mit — to marry
- German: zur Frau nehmen — to marry
- German: zum Mann nehmen — to marry
- German: die Ehe eingehen mit — to marry
- Polish: poślubić — to marry
- Polish: ożenić się — to marry
- Polish: wyjść za mąż — to marry
- Portuguese: desposar — to marry
- Russian: вступа́ть в бра́к (vstupátʹ v brák) — to marry
- Russian: жени́ться (ženítʹsja) — to marry
- Spanish: desposar — to marry
- Bulgarian: поддържам (poddǎržam) — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Czech: vzít za své — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Czech: přijmout — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Czech: brát za své — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Czech: přijímat — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Dutch: verdedigen — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Dutch: aannemen — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Dutch: ondersteunen — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Esperanto: subteni — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Esperanto: apogi — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Esperanto: adopti — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Finnish: omaksua — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Finnish: kannattaa — accept, support, take as one’s own
- French: épouser — accept, support, take as one’s own
- French: adopter — accept, support, take as one’s own
- German: eintreten für — accept, support, take as one’s own
- German: Partei ergreifen für — accept, support, take as one’s own
- German: sich zu eigen machen — accept, support, take as one’s own
- German: unterstützen — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Greek: ενστερνίζομαι (ensternízomai) — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Greek: ασπάζομαι (aspázomai) — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Portuguese: apoiar — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Russian: подде́рживать — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Russian: отдава́ться — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Spanish: propugnar — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Spanish: promulgar — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Spanish: pregonar — accept, support, take as one’s own
- Swedish: anamma — accept, support, take as one’s own