Category:Betroth

Be*troth", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betrothed; p. pr. & vb. n. Betrothing.] Etym: [Pref. be- + troth, i. e., truth. See Truth.]

1. To contract to any one for a marriage; to engage or promise in order to marriage; to affiance; -- used esp. of a woman. He, in the first flower of my freshest age, Betrothed me unto the only heir. Spenser. Ay, and we are betrothed. Shak.

2. To promise to take (as a future spouse); to plight one's troth to. What man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her Deut. xx. 7.

3. To nominate to a bishopric, in order to consecration. Ayliffe.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Betroth - To promise "by one's truth." Men and women were betrothed when they were engaged to be married. This usually took place a year or more before marriage. From the time of betrothal the woman was regarded as the lawful wife of the man to whom she was betrothed (Deuteronomy 28:30; Judges 14:2, Judges 14:8; Matthew 1:18). The term is figuratively employed of the spiritual connection between God and his people (Hosea 2:19, Hosea 2:20).