1.
[syn: betroth, engage, affiance, plight]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
affiance \af*fi"ance\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. affianced
([a^]f*f[imac]"anst); p. pr. & vb. n. affiancing
([a^]f*f[imac]"an*s[i^]ng).] [Cf. OF. afiancier, fr.
afiance.]
1. To betroth; to pledge one's faith to for marriage, or
solemnly promise (one's self or another) in marriage.
[1913 Webster]
To me, sad maid, he was affianced. --Spenser.
[1913 Webster]
2. To assure by promise. [Obs.] --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Affiance \Af*fi"ance\ ([a^]f*f[imac]"ans), n. [OE. afiaunce
trust, confidence, OF. afiance, fr. afier to trust, fr. LL.
affidare to trust; ad + fidare to trust, fr. L. fides faith.
See Faith, and cf. Affidavit, Affy, Confidence.]
1. Plighted faith; marriage contract or promise. [archaic]
[1913 Webster]
2. Trust; reliance; faith; confidence. [archaic]
[1913 Webster]
Such feelings promptly yielded to his habitual
affiance in the divine love. --Sir J.
Stephen.
[1913 Webster]
Lancelot, my Lancelot, thou in whom I have
Most joy and most affiance. --Tennyson.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
affiance
v 1: give to in marriage [syn: betroth, engage, affiance,
plight]
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):
AFFIANCE, contracts. From affidare or dare fidem, to give a pledge. A
plighting of troth between a man and woman. Litt. s. 39. Pothier, Traite du
Mariage, n. 24, defines it to be a an agreement by which a man and a woman
promise each other that they will marry together. This word is used by some
authors as synonymous with marriage. Co. Litt. 34, a, note 2. See Dig. 23, 1
Code 5, 1, 4; Extrav. 4, 1.