wedding, vbl. n.
(ˈwɛdɪŋ)
Forms: 1 weddung, 3 weddingue, 4 weddin, 5 -yn, 4–5 weding, -yng, 4–6 weddyng(e, -inge, 6 Sc. vedding, 3– wedding.
[f. wed v. + -ing1.]
1. The action of marrying; marriage, espousal. Chiefly gerundial. † Also, the married state, wedlock, matrimony (obs.).
| c 1000 Gosp. Nicod. vii. 3 in Thwaites Hept. (1698), Seo weddung wæs beweddod, eal swa eowre aᵹene ðeoda secgaþ. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1428 Siðen men hauen holden skil, first to freinen ðe wimmanes wil, Or or men hire to louerd giue, for wedding or for morgen-giwe. c 1290 St. Edmund Conf. 97 in S. Eng. Leg. 434 Wel he huld is treuþe setþe and his weddingue also, And trewe spouse was inovȝ. a 1300 K. Horn 423 Hit nere no fair wedding Bitwexe a þral & a king. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. x. 178 Summe..For Couetise of Catel vnkuyndeliche beoþ maried, And Careful Concepcion comeþ of such weddyng. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 267 Wedding is the hardest band That ony man may tak on hand. a 1400 Chaucer Envoy to Bukton 24 So may happe That the were leuer to be take in Frise Than eft falle of weddynge in the trappe. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xiii. 92 Be well war of wedyng. 1483 Cath. Angl. 412/1 Ye secund Weddynge, bigamia, deutrogamia. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xiv. 52 My sone hyemen, whiche is named the god of weddynge. 1564 Brief Exam. *****iij, Who vsed the ring fyrst in weddyng? the Heathen. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado ii. i. 76 Wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a Scotch ijgge, a measure, and a cinque-pace. |
| Prov. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 129 Weddyng and hangyng are desteny. |
2. a. The performance of the marriage-rite; the ceremony of a marriage, with its attendant festivities.
This is the word in general use for this sense.
| c 1300 K. Horn 1295 (Laud) He rongen þe bellen Þe wedding [Cambr. wedlak] for to fullen. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 25 The feste that was at hir weddynge. 1490 Caxton Eneydos lxiii. 163 Moche Ioye was there made atte theyr weddynge. 1526 Tindale Matt. xxii. 10 The weddinge was furnysshed with gestes. 1530 Palsgr. 287/2 Weddyng, nopces. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. ii. 178, I thinke it was to see my Mothers Wedding. 1663 Killigrew Pars. Wedd. v. ii, I'll run and invite them to the Wedding. 1754 Richardson Grandison V. lv. 347 Every woman's heart leaps..when a wedding is described. 1797 Sir F. M. Eden St. Poor I. 598 The custom of a general feasting at weddings and christenings. 1848 Dickens Dombey v, The very wedding looked dismal as they passed in front of the altar. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ At Bay x, Are you to be at the Milton wedding next week? 1897 S. A. Brooke in Jacks Life & Lett. (1917) II. 532, I am told the wedding went off well. |
| fig. a 1901 F. W. H. Myers Hum. Personality (1903) II. 295 Since that great wedding between Reason and Experience, which immortalises the name of Galileo. |
b. Phr.
penny wedding: see
penny 12 c.
silver wedding [G.
silberhochzeit,
silberne hochzeit], the 25th anniversary of a wedding (see
silver n. 20).
golden wedding, the 50th anniversary.
diamond wedding, the 60th or 75th anniversary (see
diamond n. 12).
| 1850 J. von Tautphœus Initials I. v. 121 ‘Perhaps you have no golden or silver wedding in England?’ ‘I confess I never heard of any thing of the kind,’ said Hamilton... ‘To be fifty years married and to have a golden wedding, is a sort of event in a family.’ 1860 Illustr. Lond. News 24 Nov. 485/3 The celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of Prince William of Hesse and the Princess Charlotte... This ‘golden wedding’, as such an event is called [etc.]. 1874 Longfellow Hanging of Crane vii, It is the Golden Wedding day. |
† 3. Occas. found in other senses of the verb: Close union or association; the action of pledging or wagering.
Obs.| c 1380 [see wed v. 7 b]. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 431 But Lord! wheþer weddyng wiþ siche signes helpiþ to holde religioun of Crist, and love hym of hert? ― Wks. (1880) 448 Wedding wiþ þes newe bilawis, passinge þe wedding wiþ goddis lawe, makiþ þes newe rotun sectis. 1503 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. II. 401 Item, the xj day of October, to the King quhilk he tynt on wedding with the Abbot of Cambuskinneth, xiiij s. |
4. a. attrib., as
wedding-anniversary,
wedding-appearance,
wedding-banquet,
wedding-bed,
wedding-bell,
wedding-chamber,
† wedding-cheer,
wedding-clothes,
wedding-coat,
wedding-dinner,
wedding-dower,
wedding-dress,
wedding-feast,
wedding festival,
wedding-gown,
wedding-guest,
wedding-journey,
wedding-mass,
wedding-night,
wedding-peal,
wedding photo,
wedding photograph,
wedding-present,
wedding-robe,
wedding-sermon,
† wedding smock,
wedding-song,
wedding-suit,
wedding-supper,
wedding-table,
wedding-torch,
wedding tour,
† wedding trim,
wedding trip,
wedding visit.
| a 1700 Evelyn Diary 13 Aug. 1673, It being his *wedding anniversarie. 1971 ‘D. Halliday’ Dolly & Doctor Bird iii. 33 It's our wedding anniversary. |
| 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1768) IV. 257 How bravely shall we enter a court,..dressed out each man, as if to his *wedding-appearance. |
| 1855 Longfellow Hiaw. xii. 372 Thus the *wedding-banquet ended. |
| 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. v. 137 (Qo. 1599) If he be married, My graue is like to be my *wedding bed. 1685 ? Dryden Daphnis 64 in Sylvæ 118, I bargain for a wedding Bed at least. |
| a 1849 Poe The Bells ii, Hear the mellow *wedding bells. |
| 1552 Huloet, *Weddynge chamber, thalamus. 1611 Bible 2 Esdras x. 1 When my sonne was entred into his wedding chamber, he fell downe and died. |
| 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iv. v. 87 Our *wedding cheare [turns] to a sad buriall Feast. |
| 1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 737 The Bride, That with her *Wedding-cloaths undresses Her Complaisance and Gentilesses. 1824 Miss Mitford Village I. 288 Betsy..prepared her wedding-clothes, and looked hourly for the bridegroom. |
| 1838 M. R. Walker Let. 27 July in C. M. Drury Elkanah & Mary Walker (1940) iii. 92, I was glad indeed to see him safe & sound with his cloths sadly rent having lost his coat his *wedding coat. 1857 Dickens Lett. (1880) II. 26 A pair of common nankeen tights,..and blue wedding-coat. |
| 1633 Rowley Match at Midn. ii. i. D 2 b, One *wedding dinner must serve both marriages. 1835 Dickens Sk. Boz, Mistaken Milliner, Miss Amelia Martin was invited..to honour the wedding-dinner with her presence. |
| 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 78 Then let her beauty be her *wedding dowre. |
| 1801 M. Edgeworth Belinda II. xxxi. 357 Something must be left to the imagination. Positively I will not describe *wedding dresses. 1863 Kingsley Water-Bab. ii, They helped her on with her wedding-dress. |
| 1633 Ford 'Tis Pity iii. v, They that now dreame of a *wedding-feast, May chance to mourne the lusty Bridegromes ruine. 1855 Longfellow Hiaw. xi (heading), Hiawatha's Wedding-feast. |
| 1795–6 Wordsw. Borderers i. 331 The villagers Are flocking in—a *wedding festival. |
| 1439 E.E. Wills (1882) 118 My *weddynggown and all my clothis of gold. 1767 Murphy School for Guard. iv. iv. 66, I have brought your young lady's wedding-gown. |
| 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. i. 31 The *Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, For he heard the loud bassoon. |
| 1841 Thackeray Gt. Hoggarty Diam. in Fraser's Mag. Nov. 598/1 She lent us her chariot for the *wedding journey. 1881 Howells (title), Their Wedding Journey. |
| 1612 Webster White Devil ii. i. 190 Accursed be the priest That sang the *wedding masse. |
| 1661 Pepys Diary 10 Oct., So home, and intended to be merry, it being my sixth *wedding night. 1682 Otway Venice Preserved i. 7 The very bed, which on thy wedding night Receiv'd thee to the Arms of Belvidera. 1835 Dickens Sk. Boz, Mr. Watkins Tottle i, I spent my wedding-night in a back-kitchen chimney. |
| 1808 Skurray Bidcombe Hill 25 note, In the village of Horningsham..it is customary, when a young person dies unmarried, to ring the *wedding peal on muffled bells, immediately on the interment of the corpse. |
| 1966 P. Willmott Adolescent Boys iii. 46 They showed us different *wedding photos. |
| 1956 Focal Encycl. Photogr. 1273/2 A good set of *wedding photographs calls for a surprising amount of planning and organization. 1972 C. Fremlin Appointment with Yesterday x. 76 Cora should have received the wedding photograph. |
| 1854 C. Schreiber Jrnl. 27 May (1952) 35 My *wedding present to Felicia, a white and gold bookcase. 1898 G. B. Shaw Plays II. Candida 81 A travelling clock in a leather case (the inevitable wedding present). |
| 1450–1530 Myrr. Our Ladye ii. 238 Thys noble yonge lorde ys clad in a new *weddynge robe. |
| 1694 T. Brown Lottery for Ladies & G. Wks. 1711 IV. 169 Dr. B―s shall preach the *Wedding Sermon. |
| c 1610 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady i. i, If my *Wedding smock were on. 1648 Herrick Hesper., ‘Come sit we under yonder Tree’ 22 Next we will..talke of Brides; and who shall make That wedding-smock, this Bridal-Cake. |
| 1598 R. Bernard Terence, Adelphi v. vii. (1607) 327 They which sing the *wedding song. |
| 1594 Taming of a Shrew (1844) 22 For this I sweare shall be my *wedding sute. 1728 Cibber Provoked Husb. iii. i. 53 The Wedding-suit of a first Dutchess. 1807 Wedding suit [see family tree s.v. family n. 11]. 1959 W. Faulkner Mansion xiii. 296 Maybe he picked it up along with that-ere white wedding suit. |
| 1695 Congreve Love for L. iv. xv, Ha, ha, ha! That a Man shou'd have a Stomach to a *Wedding Supper, when the Pidgeons ought rather to be laid to his feet. 1961 New Eng. Bible Rev. xix. 9 Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-supper of the Lamb! |
| 1722 Ramsay Three Bonnets iv. 53 To tell how meikle cakes and ale..Was serv'd upon the *wedding-table. |
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 26 Behold, this is the happy *Wedding Torch, That ioyneth Roan vnto her Countreymen. |
| 1847 C. M. Yonge Scenes & Characters xxxi. 340 The wedding had been hurried on, and the *wedding-tour was shortened. 1955 C. Carrington Rudyard Kipling ix. 201 It will not be necessary to retrace Rudyard's steps throughout his wedding tour. |
| a 1729 Tickell Colin & Lucy 43 He in his *wedding-trim so gay, I in my winding-sheet! |
| 1855 Dickens Dorrit (1857) i. ii. 17 A clerical English husband..on a *wedding trip with his young wife. 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby viii. 183 Tom and Daisy were still on their wedding trip. 1974 News & Reporter (Chester, S. Carolina) 22 Apr. 4–a/8 After a wedding trip to Charlottesville, Virginia the couple will reside on Morreene Road, Durham. |
| 1794 J. Woodforde Diary 7 Apr. (1929) IV. 103 Mr. & Mrs. Carbould are gone out for a few days to make a *wedding visit to Mrs. Carbould's Brother at Castor near Yarmouth. 1872 Geo. Eliot Middlem. II. iii. xxviii. 89 Through the next weeks there would be wedding visits received and given. |
b. wedding band U.S. = wedding-ring;
wedding-breakfast, the entertainment given at the bride's house etc. after the marriage-ceremony and before the departure for the honeymoon;
cf. breakfast n. 2 b;
wedding-bush, a shrub of the genus
Ricinocarpos, of the family Euphorbiaceæ,
esp. R. pinifolius, which is native to eastern Australia and bears clusters of fragrant white flowers;
wedding-cake, a large rich cake, covered with icing and decorated with sugar ornaments, cut and distributed to the guests at the wedding-feast and sent in small portions to absent friends; also
attrib.; also
fig.,
esp. applied
attrib. (often somewhat dismissively) to a sumptuously ornate style of architecture, and (also
absol.) to buildings in this style;
wedding canopy Judaism = chuppah;
wedding-cards, cards, bearing the names of the two parties, sent out to friends as an announcement of the wedding; also in
sing.;
wedding-chest, an ornamental chest made to contain a bride's clothes, etc.;
† wedding church door = wedding door;
wedding-coffer = wedding-chest;
wedding-day, the day on which a marriage is performed, or which is fixed for the marriage; also, an anniversary of this day; also
attrib.;
† wedding door, the church-door, or porch, at which couples were married;
wedding-favour, a knot of white ribbon, or a white rosette, sometimes worn by guests at a wedding;
wedding-finger = ring-finger;
wedding-flower, (
a)
Moræa (
Iris)
robinsoniana, of Lord Howe's Island, N.S.W.; (
b)
Dombeya natalensis, of S. Africa;
wedding-garment, a garment appropriate to, or customarily worn at, a wedding; also
fig. (with ref. to
Matt. xxii. 11–12);
† wedding-garter, a garter worn as a wedding-favour;
wedding group, (a photograph of) a wedding party;
† wedding-house = bridehouse;
† wedding kirk door = wedding door;
† wedding-knives, ? a pair of knives worn at the girdle by a bride;
wedding-knot, (
a)
fig. the bond of matrimony; (
b)
Naut., a tie for uniting the looped ends of two ropes (Knight
Dict. Mech. 1875);
wedding list, a list of acceptable wedding gifts for guests to consult and act upon;
wedding-march, a march (Mendelssohn's, if not otherwise specified) composed for performance at a wedding;
† wedding-monger, one who is busied about a wedding;
wedding party, the assemblage of persons at a wedding;
wedding reception, a party at which the wedding guests are formally greeted and entertained after the marriage ceremony;
cf. reception 2 d;
wedding-ring, a ring, usually of plain gold, placed by the bridegroom on the third finger of the bride's left hand as part of the ceremony, and worn by her ever after; a ring similarly presented by the bride to the bridegroom, and worn afterwards by him; also
attrib. and
fig.;
wedding-sheet, a sheet laid on the bridal bed and sometimes kept to form a shroud for the bride at her death.
| 1946 R. Lyle Mademoiselle's Handbk. Bridal Consultants vi. 79 *Wedding bands have in centuries past been made of iron as well as gold. 1977 ‘E. McBain’ Long Time no See i. 16 On the third finger of his left hand, there was a wedding band. |
| 1850 Thackeray Pendennis II. xv. 144 There is a *wedding breakfast. 1853 Dickens Bleak Ho. xxx, To make the furnished lodging decent for the wedding-breakfst. 1859 Habits Gd. Society xv. 372 It must be borne in mind that the wedding-breakfast is not a dinner. 1962 Sunday Times 11 Nov. 25/4 They married in church, and had a wedding breakfast but no honeymoon. |
| 1923 Census of Plants of Victoria (Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria) 41 *Wedding Bush. 1961 Wedding-bush [see manna1 9]. |
| 1648 Herrick Hesper., Bride-Cake, This day my Julia thou must make for Mistresse Bride, the *wedding cake. 1798 Coleridge Three Graves 60 The wedding-cake with her own hand The ruthless mother brought. 1879 Mrs. F. D. Bridges Jrnl. Lady's Trav. iii. (1883) 43 The Palace, somewhat of the wedding-cake style of architecture, all over stucco ornaments and whitewash. 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby i. 8 A breeze..blew curtains,..twisting them up toward the frosted wedding-cake of the ceiling. 1949 H. G. Alsberg Amer. Guide 105 Kennebunk..Among numerous old mansions are..Wedding Cake H. (c. 1825), with most unusual Vict. trimmings. 1968 N.Y. City (Michelin Tire Corp.) 16 Others [sc. skyscrapers], sometimes known as wedding cakes, were covered with ornate sculpture in the 1900 ‘Gigi style’. 1971 J. Willett in A. Bullock 20th Cent. 242/1 A massive piece of wedding-cake architecture (..fortunately never built) for the projected Palace of Soviets in Moscow. |
| 1892 I. Zangwill Childr. Ghetto I. 37 The hope was expressed that Mr. and Mrs. Belcovitch would like..to see their daughters' daughters under the Chuppah, or *wedding canopy. 1978 I. B. Singer Shosha iv. 74 You should lead your daughter to a black wedding canopy! |
| 1847 C. M. Yonge Scenes & Characters ii. 9 She was putting her sister's *wedding cards into their shining envelopes. 1867 A. J. Wilson Vashti xxix, I..noticed a basket containing some of the wedding cards. 1888 A. K. Green Behind Closed Doors ii, My daughter's wedding-cards are out. 1953 Dylan Thomas Let. 31 Mar. (1966) 401 Had your wedding card. Congratulations. |
| 1874 J. H. Pollen Anc. & Mod. Furniture S. Kens. Mus. 127 Coffer..The figures of angels..on the ends and the front panel are uninjured. It has been a *wedding chest. |
| 1560 Ludlow Churchw. Acc. (Camden) 97 Paid..for mendynge..the window over the *wedinge churche dore. |
| 1904 Studio Sept. 303/2 *Wedding-coffers, or ‘cassones,’ as they are sometimes called. |
| a 1553 Udall Royster D. i. iv. (Arb.) 26 What weepe on the *weddyng day? be merrie woman. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iv. v. 35 O Sonne, the night before thy wedding day, Hath death laine with thy wife. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 18 Nov. 1659, Sir John Evelyn invited us to the 41st wedding-day feast. 1782 Cowper Gilpin 9 Though wedded we have been These twice ten tedious years, yet we No holiday have seen. Tomorrow is our wedding-day. 1847 C. Brontë J. Eyre xxxvii, The third day from this must be our wedding-day, Jane. |
| 1470–3 Rec. Andover 11 Paid vnto John helyer for reperacon don at the *weddyndor, vid. 1636 in Swayne Churchw. Acc. Sarum (1896) 205 A gallerie over the Wedding doare in the Church. |
| 1681 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 592/1 A *wedding favour, Lemniscus nuptialis. 1882 Besant Revolt of Man xi. (1883) 263 The church was crammed with the guests in wedding-favours. |
| 1542 Recorde Gr. Artes P ij, The *weddyng fynger (whiche is the nexte to the little fynger). 1548 Patten Exped. Scot. H iv, Hurt vppon the weddyng fynger of hys righte hande. 1888 ‘J. S. Winter’ Bootle's Childr. xiii, She slipped it on to her wedding-finger. |
| 1869 in Gardeners' Chron. (1872) 23 Mar. 393/3 A large Iridaceous plant, termed the ‘*Wedding Flower’. |
| 1526 Tindale Matt. xxii. 11 The kynge..spyed there a man which had not on a *weddinge garment. c 1540 Coverdale Fruitful Less. To Rdr. (1593) A 4 b, The old Adam ought we to lay aside..and to put on Christ the Lord, as the new wedding garment. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. i. 51 Is supper ready, the house trim'd,..and every officer his wedding-garment on? |
| 1663 Butler Hud. i. ii. 524 Are these the fruits o' th' Protestation,..Which all the Saints, and some, since Martyrs, Wore in their Hats, like *Wedding-Garters. |
| 1861 Geo. Eliot Silas M. 361 The *wedding group had passed on..to the humbler part of the village. 1930 R. Lehmann Note in Music v. 190 The texts, the wedding group, and the photograph of a grave on the wall. 1979 J. Adam Smith John Buchan 51 People in Scotland, she said, might like to have wedding groups, but she doubted if it was ever done in London. |
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 519/2 *Weddynge (howus K., hous P.), idem quod Brydale howse, supra. 1483 Cath. Angl. 412/1 A Weddyng howse, nuptorium. 1684 D'Urfey Pills (1719) II. 31 Willy was late at a Wedding house, Where Lords and Ladies danc'd all arow. |
| 1530 Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 137 He was found in the *vedding kirk dur with his bonat on his heid. |
| 1596 Edw. III, ii. ii. 173 Here by my side doth hang my *wedding knifes. c 1620 Dekker Match me in London v. (1631) 70 See at my Girdle hang my wedding kniues. |
| 1902 ‘Roma White’ Backsheesh iii. 33 Of course, from the British Public point of view the Moslem *wedding knot is not altogether respectable. |
| 1981 Times 7 Mar. (Bride & Home Suppl.) p. vi/1 Today's brides..confine romance to their wedding dress and..Roneo their less personal requirements... The stores still keeping *wedding lists do provide a valuable service. |
| 1850 J. Benedict Sk. Life Mendelssohn 42 The gorgeous *Wedding-march. 1903 J. L. Allen Mettle of Pasture ii. 33 The loud crash of the wedding march closed their separate pasts with a single melody. |
| 1671 Caryl Sir Salomon ii. 29 By that time the Lawyers, the Taylers, the Semstresses, and riming Poets, with the rest of the *Wedding-Mongers, will have all things in readiness. |
| 1873 C. M. Yonge Pillars of House IV. xlvii. 340 The blow was known to all that sad *wedding party. 1877 W. S. Gilbert Engaged (? 1883) ii. 31, I have ordered four flys for the wedding party. 1979 J. Gardner Nostradamus Traitor xxxv. 165 Another alert. This time the wedding party had to take shelter. |
| 1871 A. J. Munby Diary 4 Nov. in D. Hudson Munby (1972) 299 We, Council and Students..offered this evening a *wedding reception to Litchfield and his bride. 1965 [see stung ppl. a. 2]. 1978 S. Sheldon Bloodline xlv. 374 After the ceremony there was a wedding reception at the Baur-au-Lac. |
| c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 812 And heere agayn my clothyng I restoore, And eek my *weddyng ryng. c 1540 Coverdale Fruitful Less. (1593) Kk 2 b, The same holie Ghost, who is..the earnest pennie of saluation, the wedding ring of grace. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. ii. ii. 139 Wouldst thou not..from my false hand cut the wedding ring? 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 41 The sand about us seemes to be our wedding Ring, and the riches of the Sea our Dowrie. 1704 Prior To Yng. Gent. in Love 70 The Moral of the Tale I sing (A Posy for a Wedding Ring). 1853 Dickens Bleak Ho. xxvii, The only article of ornament of which she stands possessed appears to be her wedding-ring. 1953 Dylan Thomas Under Milk Wood (1954) 74 His mother..with her wedding-ring waist and bust like a black-clothed dining-table suffers in her stays. 1980 Quilt World Sept./Oct. 23/1 Sheri's mother feels that it is a single wedding ring quilt because when four blocks are pieced together a ring is formed. |
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. iv. ii. 105 Prythee to night, Lay on my bed my *wedding sheetes, remember. 1823 Lockhart Reg. Dalton i. viii. (1842) 46 Her wedding-sheet, which, according to the primitive fashion of the district, had been carefully laid by for that purpose, was formed into the shroud which enveloped her remains. |
¶ For alternative forms of many of these collocations see
bridal 2,
bride n.1 5 a, 6,
marriage 8,
nuptial a. 1. The adjectival force of
wedding is recognized in the following
quot.:
| 1530 Palsgr. 329/1 (‘The Table of Adjectyves’) Weddyng, belongyng to maryage, nuptial. |