marry

1
[ mar-ee, mer-ee ]
See synonyms for: marrymarriedmarrying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),mar·ried, mar·ry·ing.
  1. to take in marriage: After being together for five years, I finally asked her to marry me.

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

  1. 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.

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

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

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.
  1. to wed.

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

Origin of marry

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English marien, from Old French marier, from Latin marītāre “to wed,” derivative of marītus “conjugal,” akin to mās “male (person)”

pronunciation note For marry

See Mary.

Other words from marry

  • mar·ri·er, noun
  • non·mar·ry·ing, adjective
  • un·mar·ry·ing, adjective

Words Nearby marry

Other definitions for marry (2 of 2)

marry2
[ mar-ee ]

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

Origin of marry

2
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English Mari(e), marie, mare , euphemistic variant of Mary (the Virgin)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use marry in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for marry (1 of 2)

marry1

/ (ˈmærɪ) /


verb-ries, -rying or -ried
  1. to take (someone as one's partner) in marriage

  2. (tr) to join or give in marriage

  1. (tr) to acquire (something) by marriage: marry money

  2. to unite closely or intimately

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

  4. (tr) nautical

    • to match up (the strands) of unlaid ropes before splicing

    • to seize (two ropes) together at intervals along their lengths

Origin of marry

1
C13: from Old French marier, from Latin marītāre, from marītus married (man), perhaps from mās male

Derived forms of marry

  • marrier, noun

British Dictionary definitions for marry (2 of 2)

marry2

/ (ˈmærɪ) /


interjection
  1. archaic an exclamation of surprise, anger, etc

Origin of marry

2
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