affiance
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
-
a pledging of faith, as a marriage contract.
-
trust; confidence; reliance.
verb
noun
Etymology
Origin of affiance
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French afiance, equivalent to afi ( er ) to pledge faith, declare on oath, betroth (< Medieval Latin affīdāre, equivalent to ad- ad- + *fīdāre, for Latin fīdere to trust; confide ) + -ance -ance
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is not well done for a king to affiance himself to one woman when he already has another for his wife.
From Historical Tales, Vol. 9 (of 15) The Romance of Reality. Scandinavian. by Morris, Charles
Ne'er shalt thou rue thy dear affiance: Him that I love, oh let me know!’
From Stories of the Wagner Opera by Guerber, H. A. (Hélène Adeline)
It denotes the soul’s affiance to its Lord.
From The Expositor's Bible: Ephesians by Findlay, G. G.
They tried to engage James to affiance Elizabeth to the Duke of Savoy's son, the Prince of Piedmont, and Henry to the Duke's daughter.
From Sir Walter Ralegh A Biography by Stebbing, W. (William)
The choice rested with the fathers, who were accustomed to affiance their sons early, indeed when mere boys.
From The Women of the Caesars by Ferrero, Guglielmo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
