marry

[ mar-ee ]

/ ˈmær i /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR marry ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), mar·ried, mar·ry·ing.

to take in marriage: After dating for five years, I finally asked her to marry me.

to perform the marriage ceremonies for (two people); join in wedlock: The minister married Susan and Ed.

to give in marriage; arrange the marriage of (often followed by off): Her father wants to marry her to his friend's son. They want to marry off all their children before selling their big home.

to unite intimately: Common economic interests marry the two countries.

to take as an intimate life partner by a formal exchange of promises in the manner of a traditional marriage ceremony.

to combine, connect, or join so as to make more efficient, attractive, or profitable: The latest cameras marry automatic and manual features. A recent merger marries two of the nation's largest corporations.

Nautical.

to lay together (the unlaid strands of two ropes) to be spliced.
to seize (two ropes) together end to end for use as a single line.
to seize (parallel ropes) together at intervals.

to cause (food, liquor, etc.) to blend with other ingredients: to marry malt whiskey with grain whiskey.

verb (used without object), mar·ried, mar·ry·ing.

to wed.

(of two or more foods, wines, etc.) to combine suitably or agreeably; blend: This wine and the strong cheese just don't marry.

Nearby words

Origin of marry

1250–1300; Middle English marien < Old French marier < Latin marītāre to wed, derivative of marītus conjugal, akin to mās male (person)

Related formsmar·ri·er, nounnon·mar·ry·ing, adjectiveun·mar·ry·ing, adjective

Can be confusedmarry Mary merry

Definition for marry (2 of 2)

marry

[ mar-ee ]

/ ˈmær i /

interjection Archaic.

(used as an exclamation of surprise, astonishment, etc.)

Origin of marry

1325–75; Middle English; euphemistic variant of Mary (the Virgin)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for marry

The star announces he is to marry his 27-year-old boyfriend.
Meet Stephen Fry’s Future Husband (Who Is Less Than Half His Age)|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It happened on Glee and in Sex and The City, and now in Japan women can marry themselves.
Why Singles Should Say ‘I Don’t’ to The Self-Marriage Movement|Tim Teeman|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most critically, the split perspectives of Noah and Alison need to marry more elegantly.
What On Earth Is ‘The Affair’ About? Season One’s Baffling Finale|Tim Teeman|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hearst is to be released from prison and is planning to marry.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He was nearing the end of his sentence, but the woman enlisted Joplin to marry them before he was released.
Saying Yes to the Dress—Behind Bars|Caitlin Dickson|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her meaning had been, from her earliest years, to marry, or be married.
The Maid of Sker|Richard Doddridge Blackmore
And he agreed with her, that it was a wicked thing for a woman to come between a man and the girl he was to marry.
The God of His Fathers|Jack London
It helped her to bow to the commands of this man when he bade her marry him, and she loved him!
The House of the Misty Star|Fannie Caldwell Macaulay
Yes, I told him, or very nearly, that I could not marry him.
Evelyn Innes|George Moore
She shall regret this night's work, if I marry rank or money.
The Bacillus of Beauty|Harriet Stark

British Dictionary definitions for marry (1 of 2)

marry

/ (ˈmærɪ) /

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

to take (someone as one's partner) in marriage

(tr) to join or give in marriage

(tr) to acquire (something) by marriagemarry money

to unite closely or intimately

(tr sometimes foll by up) to fit together or align (two things); join

(tr) nautical

to match up (the strands) of unlaid ropes before splicing
to seize (two ropes) together at intervals along their lengths

Word Origin for marry

C13: from Old French marier, from Latin marītāre, from marītus married (man), perhaps from mās male

British Dictionary definitions for marry (2 of 2)

marry

/ (ˈmærɪ) /

interjection

archaic an exclamation of surprise, anger, etc

Word Origin for marry

C14: euphemistic for the Virgin Mary

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for marry (1 of 2)

marry

c.1300, "to give (offspring) in marriage," from Old French marier "to get married; to marry off, give in marriage; to bring together in marriage," from Latin maritare "to wed, marry, give in marriage" (source of Italian maritare, Spanish and Portuguese maridar), from maritus (n.) "married man, husband," of uncertain origin, originally a past participle, perhaps ultimately from "provided with a *mari," a young woman, from PIE root *mari- "young wife, young woman," akin to *meryo- "young man" (cf. Sanskrit marya- "young man, suitor").

Meaning "to get married, join (with someone) in matrimony" is early 14c. in English, as is that of "to take in marriage." Said from 1520s of the priest, etc., who performs the rite. Figurative use from early 15c. Related: Married; marrying. Phrase the marrying kind, describing one inclined toward marriage and almost always used with a negative, is attested by 1824, probably short for marrying kind of men, which is from a popular 1756 essay by Chesterfield.

In some Indo-European languages there were distinct "marry" verbs for men and women, though some of these have become generalized. Cf. Latin ducere uxorem (of men), literally "to lead a wife;" nubere (of women), perhaps originally "to veil" [Buck]. Also cf. Old Norse kvangask (of men) from kvan "wife" (cf. quean), so "take a wife;" giptask (of women), from gipta, a specialized use of "to give" (cf. gift (n.)) so "to be given."

Word Origin and History for marry (1 of 2)

marry

interj.

a common oath in the Middle Ages, mid-14c., now obsolete, a corruption of the name of the Virgin Mary.

marry

verb (used with object), mar·ried, mar·ry·ing.

verb (used without object), mar·ried, mar·ry·ing.

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Nearby words

Origin of marry

Definition for marry (2 of 2)

marry

interjection Archaic.

Origin of marry

Examples from the Web for marry

British Dictionary definitions for marry (1 of 2)

marry

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

Word Origin for marry

British Dictionary definitions for marry (2 of 2)

marry

interjection

Word Origin for marry

Word Origin and History for marry (1 of 2)

marry

Word Origin and History for marry (1 of 2)

marry