Meanings
plural couple-beggars
- historicalOne who, for a fee, performs an unauthorised wedding service, especially for poor people (originally beggars).
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.
1994, Dympna McLoughlin, “Women and sexuality in nineteenth century Ireland”, in The Irish Journal of Psychology, volume 15, pages 266–2751 more example
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 !
1836, Mrs S.C. Hall, Harry O'Reardon, Or, Illustrations of Irish Pride, page 13Synonyms: buckle-beggar
Synonyms & antonyms
nounOne who, for a fee, performs an unauthorised wedding service, especially for poor people (originally beggars).
Origin
Originally a verb-noun compound, "one who couples beggars"; later extended to cases where the spouses were not destitute.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
couple-beggar. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/couple-beggar
“couple-beggar.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/couple-beggar. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “couple-beggar,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/couple-beggar.
Source: couple-beggar on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.