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Marry vs Elope - What's the difference?

marry | elope |

As verbs the difference between marry and elope

is that marry is to enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife while elope is (of a married person) to run away from home with a paramour.

As an interjection marry

is (obsolete) indeed!, in truth!; a term of asseveration.

marry

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) marien, from (etyl) marier, from (etyl) .(ae)J.P. Mallory and D.Q. Adams, Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture , s.v. "woman" (London: Dearborn Fitzroy, 1997), 656.)

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife.
    • Neither of her daughters showed any desire to marry .
  • * 1641', Evelyn, ''Diary'', quoted in '''1869 by Edward J. Wood in ''The Wedding Day in All Ages and Countries , volume 2, page 241:
    • Evelyn, in his "Diary," under date 1641, says that at Haerlem "they showed us a cottage where, they told us, dwelt a woman who had been married to her twenty-fifth husband, and, being now a widow, was prohibited to marry in future; "
  • * 1755 , The Holy Bible, both Old and New Testament, Digested, Illustrated, and Explained , second edition, page 59:
    • But Esau'', being now forty years of age, took a false step by marrying not only without his parents consent; but with two wives, daughters of the ''Hittites .
  • (in passive) To be joined (to) (someone) as spouse according to law or custom.
    • She was not happily married .
    His daughter was married some five years ago to a tailor's apprentice.
  • To arrange for the marriage of; to give away as wife or husband.
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , Matthew XXIII:
    • The kyngdome of heven is lyke unto a certayne kinge, which maryed his sonne [...].
    He was eager to marry his daughter to a nobleman.
  • To take as husband or wife.
    • In some cultures, it is acceptable for an uncle to marry his niece.
  • (figuratively) To unite; to join together into a close union.
    • The attempt to marry medieval plainsong with speed metal produced interesting results.
  • * (rfdate), Bible (KJV), Jeremiah 3.14:
    • Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you.
  • To unite in wedlock or matrimony; to perform the ceremony of joining spouses; to bring about a marital union according to the laws or customs of a place.
    • A justice of the peace will marry Jones and Smith.
  • * (rfdate), Gay, The what d'ye call it :
    • Tell him that he shall marry the couple himself.
  • (nautical) To place (two ropes) alongside each other so that they may be grasped and hauled on at the same time.
  • (nautical) To join (two ropes) end to end so that both will pass through a block.
    • Synonyms
    * get married * wed * dowrying
    Antonyms
    * divorce
    Derived terms
    * * married sector
    Related terms
    * marriage * gay marry

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) Marie, referring to Mary, the Virgin Mary.(marry) Mid-14th century.

    Interjection

    (en-interj)!
  • (obsolete) indeed!, in truth!; a term of asseveration.
  • * William Shakespeare, King Henry IV, Part ii , Act 1, Scene 2,
    • I have chequed him for it, and the young lion repents; marry , not in ashes and sackcloth, but in new silk and old sack.

    References

    See also

    * * wed English reciprocal verbs 1000 English basic words

    elope

    English

    (Elopement)

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete)

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (of a married person) To run away from home with a paramour.
  • (of an unmarried person) To run away secretly for the purpose of getting married with one's intended spouse; to marry in a quick or private fashion, especially without a public period of engagement.
  • * 1813 , Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
    • My younger sister has left all her friends-- has eloped ; has thrown herself into the power of-- of Mr. Wickham.
  • * 1996 , "Introduction", in The Piozzi Letters: Correspondence of Hester Lynch Piozzi, 1784-1821 (formerly Mrs. Thrale), Volume 4, 1805-1810 (eds. Edward A. Bloom & Lillian D. Bloom), Associated University Presses (1996), ISBN 0874133939, page 30:
    • Although Cecilia was the youngest of the surviving Thrale daughters, she had been the first to marry, eloping to Gretna Green in 1795 with John Meredith Mostyn of neighboring Llewesog Lodge. Both were underage.
  • * 2009 , Jan Springer, Intimate Stranger , Ellora's Cave (2009), ISBN 9781419921735, page 132:
    • Although they had eloped in Vegas, she'd insisted he wear a tuxedo and she buy a wedding dress at one of the local stores.
  • * 2012 , Shirley Jump, One Day to Find a Husband , Harlequin (2012), ISBN 9780373178216, page 136:
    • They knew each other for maybe a month before they eloped in Vegas.
  • (dated) To run away from home (for any reason).
  • * 1782 , Frances Burney, Cecilia
    • He had been intended by his father for trade, but his spirit, soaring above the occupation for which he was designed, from repining led him to resist, and from resisting, to rebel. He eloped from his friends, and contrived to enter the army.
  • * c. 1794 , Jane Austen, Lady Susan
    • That horrid girl of mine has been trying to run away. I had not a notion of her being such a little devil before, she seemed to have all the Vernon milkiness; but on receiving the letter in which I declared my intention about Sir James, she actually attempted to elope ; at least, I cannot otherwise account for her doing it. She meant, I suppose, to go to the Clarkes in Staffordshire, for she has no other acquaintances.

    Derived terms

    * elopement