make an honest woman of

make an honest woman of
   to many a woman you have impregnated
   There was a time when honest was a word of some worth and this phrase was used seriously:
    It was your son made her sae, and he can make her an honest woman again. (W. Scott, 1822, writing about a pregnant woman)
   Now only used humorously:
    But if you're really so old-fashioned... it's called 'making an honest woman of me'. (Price, 1970)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • make an honest woman of — (now usu facetious) To marry, where the woman has first been seduced • • • Main Entry: ↑honest * * * dated or humorous marry a woman, esp. to avoid scandal if she is pregnant Origin: honest here originally meant ‘respectable’, but was probably… …   Useful english dictionary

  • make an honest woman of — (someone) humorous if a man makes an honest woman of someone that he is having a relationship with, he marries her. You ve been living with Jean for five years, isn t it time you made an honest woman of her? …   New idioms dictionary

  • make an honest woman of — ► make an honest woman of dated or humorous (of a man) marry (a woman) with whom he is having a sexual relationship. Main Entry: ↑honest …   English terms dictionary

  • make an honest woman — verb To marry (a woman), especially if she is having a sexual relationship. I thought about just asking Rosalyn to move in with me, but I decided it was time to make an honest woman out of her …   Wiktionary

  • make an honest woman of someone — make an honest woman of (someone) (or make (someone) an honest woman) old fashioned + humorous : to marry (a woman, especially a woman you have already had sex with) When will he finally make an honest woman of her? • • • Main Entry: ↑honest …   Useful english dictionary

  • make an honest woman of someone — make an honest woman of (someone) humorous if a man makes an honest woman of someone that he is having a relationship with, he marries her. You ve been living with Jean for five years, isn t it time you made an honest woman of her? …   New idioms dictionary

  • make an honest woman (out) of someone — humorous phrase to marry a woman, especially when you have already had a long relationship with her Thesaurus: to get, or to be marriedsynonym marital statushyponym Main entry …   Useful english dictionary

  • make an honest woman of somebody — make an honest ˈwoman of sb idiom (old fashioned, humorous) to marry a woman after having had a sexual relationship with her Main entry: ↑honestidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • make an honest woman of — dated or humorous marry (a woman), especially to avoid scandal. → honest …   English new terms dictionary

  • make an honest woman of — marry a woman who previously was living in sin …   English contemporary dictionary

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