From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Spouse \Spouse\ (spouz), noun [OF. espous, espos, fem. espouse, F. ['e]poux, ['e]pouse, fr. L. sponsus, sponsa, prop. p. p. of spondere, sponsum, to promise solemnly, to engage one's self. Cf. {Despond}, {Espouse}, {Respond}, {Sponsor}.]
1. A man or woman engaged or joined in wedlock; a married person, husband or wife.
At last such grace I found, and means I wrought, That I that lady to my spouse had won. --Spenser.
2. A married man, in distinction from a {spousess} or {married woman}; a bridegroom or husband. [Obs.]
At which marriage was [were] no persons present but the spouse, the spousess, the Duchess of Bedford her mother, the priest, two gentlewomen, and a young man. --Fabyan.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Spouse \Spouse\ (spouz), verb (used with an object) [See {Espouse}, and {Spouse}, noun] To wed; to espouse. [Obs.]
This markis hath her spoused with a ring. --Chaucer.
Though spoused, yet wanting wedlock's solemnize. --Spenser.
She was found again, and spoused to Marinell. --Spenser.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: a person's partner in marriage [syn: {partner}, {married person}, {mate}, {better half}]
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Spouse (Cant. 4:8-12; Hos. 4:13, 14) may denote either husband or wife, but in the Scriptures it denotes only the latter.
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