Unit 8 Vocabulary: Finding a Spouse

Most definitions and example sentences are taken from either the Merrium-Webster Online Learnerss Dictionary or the NorthStar 3 Reading and Writing Book (3rd Edition)

Spouse
Noun: a husband or wife (someone who is married)
Different cultures have solved the problem of finding a spouse in different ways.

Commitment
Noun: a promise to do or give something; a promise to be loyal to someone or something
Marriage is a commitment.

Everlasting
Adjective: lasting forever I believe they share a true and everlasting love.

Enduring
Synonym: continuing, long lasting Adjective: to continue to exist in the same state or condition

The couple has an enduring love.

Faithfully
Synonym: loyally Adverb: in a loyal way They love each other faithfully.

Characteristics
Noun: features or qualities of a person or thing

Their marriage has all the characteristics of a happy one: deep friendship, love and trust.

Background
Noun: past experience, including family life and education

People try to find to find someone to marry who has the right background.

Unique
Adjective: being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else; special or remarkable
I want to date someone who is unique.

Religion
Noun: an organized systems of belief Religions often have different ideas and rules about marriage.

Courtship
Noun: old-fashioned dating (the period of time when a couple gets to know each other before marriage) The couple had a twoyear courtship.

Date
Noun: 1. a social or romantic appointment
We are going on a date.

2. The person you have a date with

She is my date.

Verb: to go out with someone romantically

I dated him in high school. We are dating.

Romantic
Adjective: relating to feelings of love
The couple is having a romantic dinner.

Romance
Noun: 1. an exciting relationship between lovers (sometimes short)
They had a summer romance.

2. the feeling of being in love (non countable)

We need more romance in our marriage.

Surprise
Verb: to cause (someone) to feel a mild shock
The man is surprising a woman with flowers.

Noun: an unexpected thing or feeling of mild shock

The flowers were a surprise.

Attraction
Noun: 1. a feeling of (romantic) interest
Romantic love involves attraction.

2. something interesting that people want to see

The Great Wall is a popular attraction in China.

(be) attracted (to)

Adjective: to like or be interested in something
They are attracted to each other.

Engagement
Noun: a formal agreement to be married
The couple recently announced their engagement.

the duration of time before the wedding

The couple had a 7 month engagement.

Wedding
Noun: a marriage ceremony
During their engagement, they planned a beautiful wedding.

Bride
Noun: a woman on her wedding day Brides often look in bridal magazines for advice about planning a wedding.

Groom
Noun: a man on his wedding day The groom looks very handsome.

Tradition
Noun: long-established custom There are many wedding traditions.

Traditional
Adjective: 1. long-established 2. based on old-fashioned ideas In traditional Chinese culture, marriage decisions were made by parents for their children.

Arranged Marriage
Noun: a type of marriage in which a husband and wife are chosen for each other by their parents

American's cant believe that an arranged marriage could be happy, but I have seen my parents with my own eyes.

Polygamy
Noun: the state of being married to more than one person at the same time The groups first leader, believed in polygamy. Some people still practice polygamy.

Pregnant
Adjective: having a baby or babies developing inside the body
The woman is pregnant.

Produce
Verb: to make or create something
The husband and wife hope that their marriage will produce healthy children.

Noun: fresh fruits and vegetables

Fertile
Adjective: 1. able to reproduce 2. able to support the growth of many plants

In the traditional Hopi and old Bavarian cultures, it was important for women to be fertile. The area along the river is very fertile.

Infertile
Adjective: not fertile; not able to reproduce A woman who is infertile cannot get pregnant. The fields are infertile.

Raise
Verb: 1. to bring up a child
The mother and father raised their children

2. to life or move to a higher position

Raise your hand if you have a question.

Support
Synonyms: sustain, uphold, encourage Verb: to give help or assistance; to hold up Parents support their kids. The charity supports needy kids. The walls support the building.

Proud
Adjective: very happy and pleased (as a result of achievements, qualities, possessions etc.) They are proud of the children that their marriage has produced.

Break up
Verb: to end a romantic relationship
I am breaking up with you. We broke up.

Noun: (breakup) the end of a relationship

I just went through a bad breakup

Divorce
Noun: the ending of a marriage by a legal process
Their marriage ended in divorce. They filed for a divorce.

Verb: legally end a marriage

My parents are divorced. (used as an adjective) They divorced 8 years ago.

Brokenhearted
Adjective: filled with great sadness especially because someone you love has left you, has died, etc The women is brokenhearted.

Leadership
Noun: the act or position of being a leader

In traditional Chinese society, sons were important because they would take positions of leadership in the family.

Follower
Noun: someone who is guided by another person