Definition

1. Verb:

   • To marry: To take as a spouse in a marriage ceremony; to unite in matrimony.
   • To unite closely: To join or combine two things inseparably.

2. Adjective:

   • Married: Having been united in marriage.

3. Noun:

   • Wednesday: An informal or poetic abbreviation for the fourth day of the week. (Note: This is a dated or non-standard usage).

Usage and Examples

• Verb (to marry):
  • The couple will wed in a small ceremony next spring.
  • They were wed by the local priest.
• Verb (to unite closely):
  • The design weds traditional craftsmanship with modern technology.
• Adjective (married):
  • The newly wed couple went on a honeymoon. (Often used in the combined form "newlywed").
• Noun (Wednesday):
  • "I'll see you on Wed." (This is an abbreviation, not the primary meaning of the standalone word).

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "To be wed to an idea": To be firmly and devotedly attached to a concept or belief.
  • He is so wed to the old method that he refuses to try the new software.
• The past tense and past participle can be either "wed" or "wedded." "Wedded" is often used as an adjective (e.g., ), while "wed" is common for the verb form.
  • They wed/wedded last year. They have been wed/wedded for a year.

Variants and Related Words

• Wedded (adj): United in marriage; characterized by marriage (e.g., ).
• Wedding (n): The marriage ceremony and its associated festivities.
• Newlywed (n/adj): A recently married person.

Synonyms

• Marry
• Espouse (more formal/literary)
• Unite
• Conjoin

Phrasal Verbs / Common Collocations

• To wed someone to something: To bind or attach someone firmly to a principle, habit, or idea.
  • His upbringing wedded him to a sense of duty.

Idioms and Fixed Expressions

• To be wedded to one's work: To be devoted to one's job to the exclusion of other interests.
  • She is so wedded to her work that she rarely takes a vacation.
• (Tie/Tying) the knot: An informal idiom meaning to get married. While not containing "wed," it is a direct synonym for the act of wedding.
  • They're finally tying the knot this June.

Adjective

1. having been taken in marriage

Noun

1. the fourth day of the week; the third working day

Verb

1. perform a marriage ceremony
   • The minister married us on Saturday
   • We were wed the following week
   • The couple got spliced on Hawaii
2. take in marriage