espouse

Compared meaning: to accept and support an idea (verb).

比较义项：采纳、支持某种想法或方案（动词）。

• adopt

  Adopt means to actually start using or practicing an idea, method or policy; it is common and neutral in register, and does not imply publicly announcing one's stance.

  adopt 指真正开始采纳并使用某种想法、方法或政策，语气中性常用，不强调公开宣布自己的立场。

  The school decided to adopt a new method for teaching math this year.

  学校决定今年采用一种新的数学教学方法。

• espouse 本词

  Espouse means to publicly express support for a belief, cause or plan; it is formal or literary, often paired with abstract ideas, and does not necessarily mean putting the idea into practice.

  espouse 指公开表示支持某种信仰、主张或计划，语气正式、偏书面，常与抽象理念搭配，不一定意味着真正将其付诸实践。

  Many young voters espouse ideas about protecting the environment.

  许多年轻选民支持关于保护环境的理念。

Adopt and espouse both mean to support an idea or plan. Adopt means actually using it. Espouse means publicly stating support for a belief; it is formal and does not require action. Adopting a child and espouse meaning 'to marry' are not compared.

这两个词都可以表示对某种想法、计划或政策表示认可，但 adopt 强调真正开始采纳并加以实行，语气中性常用；espouse 强调公开表明自己支持某种信仰或主张，语气正式、偏书面，不一定付诸实践。这里不比较 adopt 的“收养（孩子）”义项，也不比较 espouse 的“迎娶，嫁给”这一旧用法义项。

Compared meaning: to get married to someone (verb).

比较义项：结婚，与某人成为夫妻（动词）。

• marry

  The plain, everyday word for getting married; used in ordinary speech, legal contexts and casual conversation without sounding formal or old-fashioned.

  “结婚”最普通、最常用的说法，用于日常口语、法律语境和随意的对话中，不会显得正式或过时。

  My sister is going to marry her boyfriend next spring, and I can't wait!

  我妹妹明年春天要和她男友结婚了，我都迫不及待了！

• espouse 本词

  An archaic or literary word meaning to marry someone; rarely used with this meaning in modern English, mostly appearing in historical fiction or old texts.

  一个古旧、文学性的词，意为“娶”或“嫁”；在现代英语中很少以这个意思使用，多出现在历史小说或古老文本中。

  In the old tale, the young lord espoused a princess from a distant land.

  在那个古老的故事里，年轻的领主娶了一位来自遥远国度的公主。

• wed

  A formal or literary word for marrying, common in news headlines, wedding announcements and set phrases like newly-wed; less common in casual speech than marry.

  一个正式或文学性的词，意为“结婚”，常见于新闻标题、结婚公告，以及像 newly-wed（新婚）这样的固定说法；在日常口语中不如 marry 常用。

  The prince and his fiancée are set to wed at Westminster Abbey next June.

  王子和他的未婚妻定于明年六月在威斯敏斯特教堂完婚。

Marry, espouse, and wed all mean to get married. Marry is the plain, everyday word. Wed is more formal, common in news headlines and wedding announcements. Espouse is archaic here; its usual modern meaning, to support an idea, is not compared.

这三个词在“结婚”这一义项上意思相近，但语域和使用频率不同：marry 是最常用的中性说法，wed 更正式，常见于新闻标题和请柬；espouse 在这个意义上已经过时，现代英语中几乎只在文学或历史语境中才会使用。这里不比较 espouse 更常见的“支持、拥护（某种观点）”的意思。