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Pronunciation varies by accent · noun
(historical) One who, for a fee, performs an unauthorised wedding service, especially for poor people (originally beggars)..
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.
Use couple-beggar when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.
Couple-beggar means (historical) One who, for a fee, performs an unauthorised wedding service, especially for poor people (originally beggars)..
Common synonyms include buckle-beggar.
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
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 !
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