wedlock
- noun
- /ˈwɛdˌlɑk/
- Of those mothers who did have a child out of wedlock, three-quarters eventually married.
- born in wedlock
- births in wedlock
- childbearing in wedlock
It was down the road when I fathered a child out of wedlock.
- It was down the road when I fathered a child out of wedlock.
- Do you think in the future there will be more children born out of wedlock or fewer?
- We know about Dewey Dale's pregnancy of wedlock first, right?
- She ends up having her her first child out of wedlock in revolutionary France.
- If you really want to harm a child, have a child out of wedlock.
- I remember years ago when I was a kid, someone who would have a child out of wedlock was sometimes looked sideways.
- I saw one stoning where they stoned a young girl to death that had a baby out of wedlock with her cousin or something.
- It says that sexual acts are sinful, but but of course it says that about all sexual acts out of wedlock.
- If a woman has a baby out of wedlock, then all the right wing Christians will know, oh, she's a slut.
- But instead, because they made one bad decision and got pregnant out of wedlock and they didn't want to end the relationship, they move forward with it.
Examples
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Today, we celebrate the love and commitment shared between these two individuals as they enter into wedlock.
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We are here today to witness the union of two young people in the joyful bond of holy wedlock.
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Large numbers of American children are now born out of wedlock; in many communities, the number is more than half.
Academic text (1996) -
And join us in holy wedlock.
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Countries with high birthrates, in contrast, usually also have large numbers of children born out of wedlock.
Academic text (2012) -
For as much as these two people have finally... consented together in holy wedlock... and have witnessed the same before God and this company, I pronounce, believe it or not, that they be husband and wife together.
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Dearly beloved... ...we are gathered here in this beautiful home... ...on this beautiful day... ...to witness the uniting of two beautiful souls... ...in holy wedlock.
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For as much as Homer and Wilma have consented together in holy wedlock... ...and have witnessed the same before God and this company... ...and thereto have given and pledged their troth, each to the other... ...and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring... ...and by joining hands... ...I pronounce that they are man and wife.
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The couple decided to marry in a quaint ceremony, embracing the joyful tradition of wedlock.
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They promised to cherish each other for life as they committed to their journey in wedlock.
Synonyms
The legal joining of two people as life partners
A joining of people or things to form one
The state of being married to another person
A connection between two people who are married
The close relationship between married partners
A legal relationship between two people who are married
Antonyms
Idioms
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word wedlock comes from old English parts wedd meaning 'promise' and lāc meaning 'state' or 'condition', and it shares the same root as wed and wedding. So, wedlock is the 'state of being promised' to someone, in other words 'married'.