Husband

/ˈhʌzbənd/

nounverbA2

Definition

As a noun, "husband" is the man who is married to a woman. It shows the relationship in marriage. As a verb, "to husband" means to take care of resources or money carefully, so they last longer and are not wasted.

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See It in Action

Noun: A married man in relation to his wife

  • My husband is very kind and helpful.
  • They have been husband and wife for ten years.
  • The husband and wife went on a vacation together.

Verb: To use resources carefully and not waste them

  • We must husband our energy during the long hike.
  • The company husbanded its money to survive the crisis.

Make It Stick

  • Think of "husband" like "man" (A1 word), but this man has a special role in marriage.
  • Picture a man wearing a wedding ring, standing next to his wife at a wedding.
  • It's the feeling of being part of a family and sharing life with someone.
  • Sounds like "HUS-band" → imagine a man who is the "band" (group) leader of a family team.
  • In stories, the husband often supports and cares for his wife and family.
  • As a verb, NOT like "spend" (use quickly), "husband" means to save or use carefully.
  • As a verb, it's like a farmer who carefully uses water and seeds to grow crops without waste.

Try Other Words

  • Spouse: married partner (Use when you want a gender-neutral word)
  • Partner: someone you share life with (Use in informal or modern contexts)
  • Save: to keep for later use (Use when "husband" is used as a verb meaning to use carefully)
  • Conserve: to protect and use carefully (Use in formal or environmental contexts)

Unboxing

  • Word parts: "husband" comes as one whole word, no prefix or suffix
  • Etymology: From Old English "hūsbonda," meaning "male head of a household" from Old Norse
  • Historical development: Originally meant "master of the house," later became the married man
  • Modern usage: Commonly used to mean a married man; as a verb, less common but means careful use of resources

Reflect & Connect

How do you think the role of a husband has changed in different cultures or times?
Can you think of situations where "husband" as a verb is important in daily life or work?

Fill in the blanks

1.A husband is the man who is ___ to a wife in marriage.
2.When we say "husband your resources," it means you should use them ___ and not waste them.
3.Unlike "wife," which means a married woman, "husband" means a ___ man.
4.People often say "husband and wife" to talk about a ___ couple.
5.To husband your money during hard times means to ___ it carefully.
6.A husband usually wears a ___ ring to show he is married.
7.If someone is not careful and spends too much, they do not ___ their resources well.