from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Marriage \Mar"riage\, n. [OE. mariage, F. mariage. See {Marry},
v. t.]
1. The act of marrying, or the state of being married; legal
union of a man and a woman for life, as husband and wife;
wedlock; matrimony.
[1913 Webster]
Marriage is honorable in all. --Heb. xiii.
4.
[1913 Webster]
2. The marriage vow or contract. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
3. A feast made on the occasion of a marriage.
[1913 Webster]
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king
which made a marriage for his son. --Matt. xxii.
2.
[1913 Webster]
4. Any intimate or close union.
[1913 Webster]
5. In pinochle, b['e]zique, and similar games at cards, the
combination of a king and queen of the same suit. If of
the trump suit, it is called a {royal marriage}.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{Marriage brokage}.
(a) The business of bringing about marriages.
(b) The payment made or demanded for the procurement of a
marriage.
{Marriage favors}, knots of white ribbons, or bunches of
white flowers, worn at weddings.
{Marriage settlement} (Law), a settlement of property in
view, and in consideration, of marriage.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Matrimony; wedlock; wedding; nuptials.
Usage: {Marriage}, {Matrimony}, {Wedlock}. Marriage is
properly the act which unites the two parties, and
matrimony the state into which they enter. Marriage
is, however, often used for the state as well as the
act. Wedlock is the old Anglo-Saxon term for
matrimony.
[1913 Webster]