Marriage
the legal union of man and woman for life; the state or condition of being married; wedlock. In law marriage is regarded in no other light than a civil contract. The law allows it to be valid where the parties were willing to contract, able to contract, and did contract in the form required by law. In England, whence our laws are derived, disabilities to contract were formerly considered as either canonical or civil.
Consanguinity, affinity, and corporal infirmity were canonical disabilities, making the marriage voidable, but not ipso facto void, till sentence of nullity had been obtained. The last of these is now, however, the only canonical disability on condition which is sometimes called hetairism or promiscuity.
Complex marriage, the domestic relationship between the sexes existing in the American sect calling themselves Perfectionists.
Marriage by capture, the practice of getting wives by theft or force.