leaping over the sword

Definition

Defined by Captain Francis Grose in his Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811) as: ' An ancient ceremonial said to constitute a military marriage. A sword being laid down on the ground, the parties to be married joined hands, when the corporal or serjeant of the company repeated these words: " Leap roque, and jump whore. / And then you are married for evermore ." Whereupon the happy couple jumped hand in hand over the sword, the drum beating a ruffle; and the parties were ever after considered as man and wife.'