E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Jump Over the Broomstick (To).
To marry in an informal way. A “brom” is the bit of a bridle; to “jump the brom” is to skip over the marriage restraint, and “broomstick” is a mere corruption.
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“A Romish wedding is surely better than jumping over a broomstick.”—G. A. Sala.
