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Tie the knot

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To get married, from ancient cord-binding ceremonies symbolizing union.

Detailed Definition
Ritual origin across cultures—Roman, Celtic, Hindu—where knots sealed vows. In poetry, it celebrates marital commitment, but also critiques institution. Romantic poets (Donne) frame it as sacred fusion; modernists question permanence. The textile metaphor implies interweaving lives, strength in binding. Poets use it to explore partnership’s complexities—knots can tighten or strangle. Its universality makes it adaptable: joyful in wedding poems, ironic in divorce elegies, always carrying weight of promise and constraint in lyrical meditations on union.
Example
Example in poetry:
Wedding poem: “Rings exchanged, hands clasped—they tied the knot under oak”; Legal equality: “Finally free to tie the knot—love recognized after decades”; Skeptical view: “Tied the knot for green card—paper promises, hollow vows”; Renewal ceremony: “Twenty years later, retied the knot—knots stronger with age”.
Additional Notes
Ritual origin across cultures—Roman, Celtic, Hindu—where knots sealed vows. In poetry, it celebrates marital commitment, but also critiques institution. Romantic poets (Donne) frame it as sacred fusion; modernists question permanence. The textile metaphor implies interweaving lives, strength in binding. Educators can use it to explore partnership’s complexities—knots can tighten or strangle. Its universality makes it adaptable: joyful in wedding poems, ironic in divorce elegies, always carrying weight of promise and constraint in lyrical meditations on union, autonomy, and the delicate balance of togetherness.
Also Known As
Get married Wed
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