Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1769, 1822-1847
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SPOUSE, n., v. Also †spus, spouss, dim. form spousie (Edb. 1851 A. MacLagan Sketches 142). Sc. v. usage in phr. and comb.: †1. spousing keobe, a gift made by a newly-wedded couple to the minister who married them. See Kyoab; 2. to spouse one's fortune, to devote oneself to one's fortune, to try one's luck. Cf. Eng. espouse, to devote oneself to (a cause). [‡spuz]1. Sh. 1769 Hjaltland Misc. (1937) II. 134:
It was the Practice of the Minister of this and other parishes formerly to claim a certain perquisite called a spousing keobe from each pair of the common people he married.2. Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie xciii.:
Charlie, her son, has spoused his fortune and gone to Indy.Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 239:
The young man set out to spouse his fortune.
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"Spouse n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/spouse>
