v. Forms: 4 bitreuthien, betreuþe, -trouþe, -treuthy, 5–6 betrouth(e, 6 betrothe, troughth, 7 betroath, 6– betroth. [ME. bitreuðien, f. bi-, BE- 6 + ME. treuðe, treowðe, TRUTH sb.; Mätzner suggests after the analogy of OE. tréowsian to give one’s word, pledge. Subsequently assimilated to the form trouthe, TROTH; since this is now shortened to tręþ, the same sound is by many extended to the vb., but the historical and analogical pronunciation is as in clothe, loathe.]
1. trans. To engage (a woman) in contract of marriage, to plight one’s troth to. arch.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1704. Þou shal nat betrouþe a womman wyþ hande Þe whylys here husbande ys lyvande.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 70. Ȝer thou myd word … Aryȝt bitreuthest one.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2105. By þe hond þanne he tok hur sone; & be-treuþede þat swete wiȝt.
1426. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 136. Herry … Of Englond kyng … Betrouthed hath my lady Kateryne.
1611. Bible, Deut. xx. 7. What man is there that hath betrothed a wife.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, I. 15. Having betroathed a handsome Maid, an Inheritrix.
[1844. Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch., viii. (1858), II. 6. (transl. of an OE. law) If a man wish to betroth a maiden.]
2. To contract two persons to each other in order to marriage; to affiance. (More usually, but not exclusively, said of contracting the female to her future husband.)
1566. Painter, Pal. Pleas., I. 21. They had betrouthed their doughter, to one L. Icilius.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., V. iii. 288. You … betroth’d, and would haue married her perforce to Countie Paris.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 130. Let Christiana look out some Damsels for her Sons; to whom they may be Betroathed.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, v. 151. The lovers were soon after betrothed.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 80. She was soon after betrothed to the Dauphin.
1864. D. Mitchell, Sev. Stor., 225. He was very early betrothed to a daughter of the Contarini.
b. In the passive, now commonly used, senses 1 and 2 are blended.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon, v. 108. They’ll be betrothed each to other.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. Luke i. 26. Not married, but betrothed.
3. fig. Said of God and his Church or people. Also, said of the relation of a bishop to a church before consecration.
1611. Bible, Hosea ii. 19. I will betroth thee vnto me for euer.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 195. If any Person be consecrated a Bishop to that Church, whereunto he was not before betrothed, he shall not receive the Habit of Consecration, as not being canonically promoted.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 13. God made the soul for Himself; He betrothed her to Himself through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
† 4. transf. a. To pledge, engage. b. To pledge or engage oneself to, to espouse (a cause). Obs.
1566. Gascoigne, Jocasta. Wks. (1587), 102. To privat fight they have betrotht themselves.
1575. Brieff Disc. Troub. Franckford, 202. They will not slack to vowe and betrothe their whole diligence.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, I. iii. 49. What is hee for a foole that betrothes himselfe to vnquietnesse?
1670. Walton, Lives, I. 13. At that time [he] had betrothed himself to no religion.
b. 1658. T. Wall, Comm. Times, 68. While he thought to betroth a Deity, he betrayed humanity.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., Ep. Ded. Those that have betrothed the Way.
