Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

couple-beggar

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.17 in modern English

Syllables: cou-ple-beg-gar
IPA

20

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

4

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

One who, for a fee, performs an unauthorised wedding service, especially for poor people (originally beggars).

Example Sentences

"Yet you'd have no license, but be married by beggarly bans ! [...] Sure it's wonderful you don't seek out a couple-beggar, and get married like the heathens in the time of Nebecudnazar !"
"these destitute paupers believed themselves to be married, since they had paid a small sum of money to a 'couple beggar' and in return he performed a rudimentary ritual over them."

Etymology

Originally a verb-noun compound, "one who couples beggars"; later extended to cases where the spouses were not destitute.

Inflected Forms

couple-beggars (plural)

Synonyms

buckle-beggar

Questions

What does couple-beggar mean?: One who, for a fee, performs an unauthorised wedding service, especially for poor people (originally beggars).
Where does couple-beggar come from?: Originally a verb-noun compound, "one who couples beggars"; later extended to cases where the spouses were not destitute.

How to pronounce couple-beggar

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