\Wed\ (w[e^]d), n. [AS. wedd; akin to OFries. wed, OD.
wedde, OHG, wetti, G. wette a wager, Icel. ve[eth] a pledge,
Sw. vad a wager, an appeal, Goth. wadi a pledge, Lith.
vad[*u]ti to redeem (a pledge), LL. vadium, L. vas, vadis,
bail, security, vadimonium security, and Gr. ?, ? a prize.
Cf. {Athlete}, {Gage} a pledge, {Wage}.]
A pledge; a pawn. [Obs.] --Gower. Piers Plowman.
      Let him be ware, his neck lieth to wed [i. e., for a
      security].                               --Chaucer.

\Wed\, v. t. [imp. {Wedded}; p. p. {Wedded} or {Wed}; p. pr.
& vb. n. {Wedding}.] [OE. wedden, AS. weddian to covenant,
promise, to wed, marry; akin to OFries. weddia to promise, D.
wedden to wager, to bet, G. wetten, Icel. ve[eth]ja, Dan.
vedde, Sw. v["a]dja to appeal, Goth. gawadj[=o]n to betroth.
See {Wed}, n.]
1. To take for husband or for wife by a formal ceremony; to
   marry; to espouse.
         With this ring I thee wed.            --Bk. of Com.
                                               Prayer.
         I saw thee first, and wedded thee.    --Milton.
2. To join in marriage; to give in wedlock.
         And Adam, wedded to another Eve, Shall live with
         her.                                  --Milton.
3. Fig.: To unite as if by the affections or the bond of
   marriage; to attach firmly or indissolubly.
         Thou art wedded to calamity.          --Shak.
         Men are wedded to their lusts.        --Tillotson.
         [Flowers] are wedded thus, like beauty to old age.
                                               --Cowper.
4. To take to one's self and support; to espouse. [Obs.]
         They positively and concernedly wedded his cause.
                                               --Clarendon.

\Wed\, v. i.
To contact matrimony; to marry. ``When I shall wed.'' --Shak.