Relationships - Marriage

Explore English idioms that relate to marriage, including "tie the knot" and "on the shelf".

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to [tie] the knot [phrase]

to become someone's husband or wife in marriage

Ex: She ’s excited to finally tie the knot with her long-time partner .

to [rob] the cradle [phrase]

to get married with or date someone who is much younger than one

Ex: John caused quite a scandal when he married a woman half his age. People said he had robbed the cradle.

to [pop] the question [phrase]

to propose someone to join one in marriage

Ex: James nervously popped the question to his girlfriend during a romantic dinner .

to [leave] {sb} at the altar [phrase]

to abandon the person one is supposed to marry at the last possible moment before the ceremony

Ex: After realizing she did n't truly love him , she made the difficult decision of leaving him at the altar .

to [get] hitched [phrase]

to become someone's husband or wife during a special ceremony

Ex: After dating for several years , Sarah and John finally decided to get hitched in a beautiful beach .

on the shelf [phrase]

used to refer to a woman who is unmarried despite being older than the typical age traditionally associated with marriage

Ex: Despite her successful career and fulfilling life , Jane 's relatives often make insensitive comments about her being on the shelf .

to [take] the plunge [phrase]

to become someone's wife or husband during a special ceremony

Ex: Emma and Michael had been in a committed relationship for a long time , so they finally took the plunge and exchanged wedding vows .

to [marry] money [phrase]

to marry someone primarily for their wealth or financial status rather than for love or other personal reasons

Ex: David 's uncle married money when he we d a rich woman who owned a big company .

to [make] an honest woman (out|) of {sb} [phrase]

to get married with a girl or woman one has been dating

Ex: Daniel knew he had to make an honest woman of Rachel when they discovered she was expecting their child , so he proposed and they had a beautiful wedding ceremony .

starter marriage [noun]

a relatively short-lived first marriage that serves as a learning experience for one or both partners

Ex: After college , Nicole and John got married , but it turned out to be a starter marriage as they soon realized they wanted different things in life and decided to go their separate ways .

Relationships
Friendship & Reconciliation	Unfriendliness	Family	Marriage
Infidelity or Lack of Commitment	Dating	Pure Love	Romantic Relationships
Sexual Affairs