elope
/ɪˈloʊp/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.50 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
Of an unmarried person, to run away secretly for the purpose of getting married with one's intended spouse; to marry in a quick or private fashion, especially without a public period of engagement.
Intransitive verb
verb
Of an unmarried person, to run away secretly from home in order to get married without parental or guardian consent.
Dated; Intransitive verb
verb
Example Sentences
- "My younger sister has left all her friends-- has eloped; has thrown herself into the power of-- of Mr. Wickham."
- "Although Cecilia was the youngest of the surviving Thrale daughters, she had been the first to marry, eloping to Gretna Green in 1795 with John Meredith Mostyn of neighboring Llewesog Lodge. Both were underage."
- ""[Molly:] —It was the same last time [You-Know-Who] was powerful, people eloping left right and centre– —Including you and Dad, said Ginny slyly.""
- "Although they had eloped in Vegas, she'd insisted he wear a tuxedo and she buy a wedding dress at one of the local stores."
- "They knew each other for maybe a month before they eloped in Vegas."
- "'[…] We were within a few hours of eloping together for Scotland. The treachery, or the folly, of my cousin's maid betrayed us. I was banished to the house of a relation far distant, and she was allowed no liberty, no society, no amusement, till my father's point was gained […]'"
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman aloper (“to abduct, run away”), itself borrowed from Proto-West Germanic *andihlaupan (“to run away”). Equivalent to and- + lope as well as and- + leap (these being doublets). More at lope.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪˈloʊp/
- British English: /ɪˈləʊp/