| 释义 |
ˈspousage Obs. exc. arch.
Forms: 4 sposage, 5–6 spowsage, 5– spousage (6 spousag).
[ad. AF. esposage, OF. espousage (cf. espousage), f. espo(u)ser spouse v.]
1. Wedlock; = spousal n. 1 and 1 b.
Freq. const. with preps., as in, into, of, or out of, with reference to the legitimacy of children.
13..Evang. Nicod. 730 Þat quest þat gan him deme Trew in sposage borne. 13..Cursor M. 3043 (Gött.), Þou[ȝ] ismael be noght of sposage [Trin. Of Ismael out of spousage]. a1395Hylton Scala Perf. ii. xliv. (W. de W. 1494), That it myghte come to theffecte of true spousage. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) viii. 28 To proue þaire childer, wheder þai be geten in leel spousage or noght. c1460Towneley Myst. xxx. 277 An vsage, swilk..makys theym..lif in syn for hir sake, And breke thare awne spowsage. c1500Lancelot 1331 For þow was not byget in to spousag. 1508Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 155 Or how ȝe like lif to leid in to leill spousage? c1550Rolland Crt. Venus iii. 221 Quene Iocasta..Tuik hir awin sone of spowsage in the band.
2. = spousal n. 2.
1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 153 Whan þei were trouth plight, & purueied þe sposage, Helianore forth hir dight to Rouhan hir menage. 14..Sir Beues (M) 277 Thou mvst kepe Vppon the ffeld all my shepe, Till the spousage be brought to end. c1450Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 90 Every damesel..Xulde be browght in good degre Onto her spowsage. 1501Douglas Pal. Hon. iii. xxxv, Of duke Pirithous the spousage in that tide, Quhair the Centauris reft away the bride, Thair saw I. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 148 b, It should seme that God with this matrimony was not content. For after this spousage the Kynges frendes fell from hym. c1555Harpsfield Divorce of Hen. VIII (Camden) 248 The very true, perfect, and full marriage is the same company..and living together which is consecrate by the league or bond of spousage or promise that one doth make to the other. 1656Blount Glossogr., Spousage,..the contract or betrothing before full marriage. 1720C. Wheatly Bk. Com. Prayer (ed. 3) x. 407 In the old Manual for the use of Salisbury, before the Minister proceeds to the marriage, he is directed to ask the Woman's Dowry, viz. the Tokens of Spousage.
transf. and fig.1497Bp. Alcock Mons Perfect. D iij, The weddynge and spousage of the lambe. 1513Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 1548 Kynge Vulfer, her father, at this ghostly spousage Prepared great tryumphes and solempnyte. 1550Bale Image Both Ch. ii. G ij, Not the spousage of their soules haue they broken by no fylthye traditions of men. 1888Ecclesiologist 1 June 6 Spousage of a virgin to Christ.
b. Const. of (betrothal or matrimony). rare.
a1591R. Greenham Wks. (1599) 288 note, The spousage of betrothing before ful mariage. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 392 The King hes obteinet her haly spousage of matrimonie.
3. A spouse, wife. rare—1.
1513Douglas æneid xi. vi. 109 The Goddis eik sa far dyd me invy, That in my natiue land neuer sall I spy My chaist spousage. |