2. The uniting or allying one's self with anything; maintenance; adoption; as, the espousal of a quarrel. The open espousal of his cause. Lord Orford.
ESPOUSE Es*pouse", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Espoused; p. pr. & vb. n. Espousing.] Etym: [OF. espouser, esposer, F. épouser, L. sponsare to betroth, espouse, fr. sponsus betrothed, p. p. of spondere to promise solemnly or sacredly. Cf. Spouse.]
1. To betroth; to promise in marriage; to give as spouse. A virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph. Luke i. 27.
2. To take as spouse; to take to wife; to marry. Lavinia will I make my empress, . . . And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse. Shak.
3. To take to one's self with a view to maintain; to make one's own; to take up the cause of; to adopt; to embrace. "He espoused that quarrel." Bacon. Promised faithfully to espouse his cause as soon as he got out of the war. Bp. Burnet.
ESPOUSEMENT
Es*pouse"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. espousement.]
Defn: The act of espousing, or the state of being espoused.
ESPOUSER
Es*pous"er, n.
Defn: One who espouses; one who embraces the cause of another or makes it his own.
ESPRESSIVO
Es`pres*si"vo, a. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)