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Webster 1913 Edition


affiance

af-fi′ance

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
affianced
(ăf-fī′anst)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
affiancing
(ăf-fī′an-sĭng)
.]
[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.
To me, sad maid, he was
affianced
.
Spenser.
2.
To assure by promise.
[Obs.]
Pope.

Webster 1828 Edition


Affiance

AFFI'ANCE

,
Noun.
[L. fido, fides.]
1.
The marriage contract or promise; faith pledged.
2.
Trust in general; confidence; reliance.
The Christian looks to God with implicit affiance.

AFFI'ANCE

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To betroth; to pledge one's faith or fidelity in marriage, or to promise marriage.
To me, sad maid, he was affianced.
2.
To give confidence
Affianced in my faith.

Definition 2024


affiance

affiance

English

Alternative forms

Verb

affiance (third-person singular simple present affiances, present participle affiancing, simple past and past participle affianced)

  1. (transitive) To be betrothed to; to promise to marry.

Translations

Noun

affiance (plural affiances)

  1. Faith, trust.
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, II.12:
      All other outward shewes and exterior apparences are common to all religions: As hope, affiance [transl. confiance], events, ceremonies, penitence and martyrdome.
    • Sir J. Stephen
      Such feelings promptly yielded to his habitual affiance in the divine love.
    • Tennyson
      Lancelot, my Lancelot, thou in whom I have / Most joy and most affiance.
  2. (archaic) A solemn engagement, especially a pledge of marriage.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iv:
      I that Ladie to my spouse had wonne; / Accord of friends, consent of parents sought, / Affiance made, my happinesse begonne [].

Middle French

Etymology

Old French afiance, from afier (to promise) + -ance.

Noun

affiance f (plural affiances)

  1. promise (verbal guarantee)

Descendants

References

  • affiance on Dictionnaire du Moyen Français (1330-1500) (in French)