Definition

Noun: 1. A legal term for the failure to fulfill a promise to marry: Historically, it referred to a specific cause of action in law where one person could sue another for damages after a promise of marriage was made and then broken without a valid reason.

Usage

• The term is primarily used in a legal or historical context. In modern common law jurisdictions, lawsuits for breach of promise to marry are largely obsolete.
• It describes the act of breaking an engagement to be married.

Examples

• The 19th-century novel revolves around a young woman's heartbreak and subsequent lawsuit for breach of promise.
• In the past, a breach of promise case could result in the jilted party receiving financial compensation.
• The law regarding breach of promise has been abolished in most states.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used figuratively in a non-legal sense to emphasize the seriousness of breaking a significant personal pledge, though this is less common.
  • His failure to support her after all his assurances felt like a profound breach of promise.

Variants and Related Words

• Breach (n.): A more general term for breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct.
  • This was a clear breach of contract.
• Breach (v.): To make a gap in or break through; to break a law, agreement, etc.
  • The army breached the city walls.

Synonyms

• Broken engagement
• Reneging on a promise (general)

Idioms and Phrases

• To sue for breach of promise: The formal legal action taken in such cases.
  • After he left her at the altar, she threatened to sue for breach of promise.

Noun

1. failure to keep a promise (of marriage)