Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Dowry"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Dowry
(mohar; i.e., price paid for a wife, Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:17; 1
Sam. 18:25), a nuptial present; some gift, as a sum of money,
which the bridegroom offers to the father of his bride as a
satisfaction before he can receive her. Jacob had no dowry to
give for his wife, but he gave his services (Gen. 29:18; 30:20;
34:12).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Dowry \Dow"ry\, n.; pl. {Dowries}. [Contr. from dowery; cf. LL.
dotarium. See {Dower}.]
1. A gift; endowment. [Obs.] --Spenser.
2. The money, goods, or estate, which a woman brings to her
husband in marriage; a bride's portion on her marriage.
See Note under {Dower}. --Shak. Dryden.
3. A gift or presents for the bride, on espousal. See
{Dower}.
Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give
. . .; but give me the damsel to wife. --Gen. xxxiv.
12.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
dowry
n : money or property brought by a woman to her husband at
marriage [syn: {dowery}, {dower}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.