| 释义 |
marriage
n. 1. The relationship between persons married to each other. Although historically the parties to a marriage had to be respectively male and female (husband and wife), a marriage can now be between persons of the same sex (see Marriage (Same Sex Couples) act 2013). 2. A ceremony, civil or religious, that creates the legal status of spouses and the legal obligations arising from that status (see marriage ceremony). All marriages must be registered by an authorized marriage registrar. The minimum age for marriage is 16 with parental consent (18 without), and capacity to marry in general is governed by the law of domicile of both parties before the marriage. Relationships within which marriage is prohibited are specified in the Marriage Act 1949, as amended by the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Act 1986 (see prohibited degrees of relationships). Parties to a marriage must not be already married to someone else (see bigamy; polygamy), and must enter into the marriage freely. See also marriage by certificates of a superintendent registrar. |