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Welcome to English in a Minute from home!
Tying a knot can sometimes be easier than untying one. But what might “tie the knot” mean when talking about people?
Tie the Knot
Speaker A: Anna, guess what?
Speaker B: What?
Speaker A: Gabe and Angelique are finally going to tie the knot this summer!
Speaker B: Good for them! It’s about time. They’ve been dating for like 12 years.
Speaker A: Guess they wanted to make sure that if they actually tied the knot, it would stay tied.
Speaker B: Good point.
To “tie the knot” means to get married. The word ‘knot’ has been used in relation to marriage since the 13th century. These days, the expression is used in a mostly informal way.
And that’s English in a Minute!
*This article has been edited and reprinted from VOA Learning English with permission from Voice of America (VOA) for use in English language materials.