To marry or take as a spouse; to betroth or become engaged to.
From Old English 'be-' (prefix) + 'spouse' (from Old French 'espose,' feminine past participle of 'espouser,' from Latin 'sponsus' meaning promised). The prefix intensifies the commitment.
In Shakespeare's era, 'bespouse' was used in serious, formal contexts—it's what you said when you were making a binding commitment to marriage. The prefix 'be-' made it weightier than just 'spouse,' suggesting a transformation into a spousal relationship.
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