to exchange vows
3
3.7
- phrasal verb
- Formal
:
intercambiar votos
- And as much as you have consented together to live in wedlock and have exchanged vows before witnesses, by the authority vested in me, and according to the law of the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
- a couple exchanging vows
I would recommend do something that with a pastor, that way you, you exchange vows and you solidify that you're married.
- I would recommend do something that with a pastor, that way you, you exchange vows and you solidify that you're married.
- If people happen to exchange vows, I don't know about that.
Examples
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Today, Sofia and Marco will exchange vows at a beautiful beach ceremony surrounded by friends and family.
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In that light, they have elected to exchange vows... ...which they themselves have written.
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A little while later, it was time for Stanford and Anthony to exchange vows.
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Before Stephen and Beth exchange vows today, a good friend of theirs would like to commemorate their union with a song, a very special song.
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The couple exchanged vows in English and Spanish, after which Father Vandermeer celebrated the traditional mass in Latin.
Fiction book (1990) -
The couple, who've been together for five years, exchanged vows on Friday during a super top-secret ceremony held at a seaside resort in southern Italy.
Blog text (21) -
During the wedding ceremony, they will exchange vows that symbolize their lifelong commitment to each other.
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Before the guests, the couple decided to exchange vows under the blooming cherry blossom trees in the park.
Synonyms
166
4.1
To promise seriously or give something as a guarantee
To formally promise that two people will marry
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to make mutual promises of love and commitment' is directly and transparently derivable from 'exchange' (to give and receive) plus 'vows' (formal pledges). This verb + object composition describes a straightforward action (swapping/reciting pledges) and is a common, cross-linguistic wedding concept, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand it.
Etymology
Exchange vows comes from the simple image of two people at a wedding facing each other and each making an exchange of vows, a 'promise' they give to the other. That's why exchange vows means 'to make mutual promises of love and commitment during a wedding ceremony'.