Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. US) married; thus unhitched, divorced; hitching-on, a marriage ceremony.

1838		Lexington Observer and Rep. 2 June n.p.: We soon hitch’d traces to trot in double harness [DA].
1844		‘Jonathan Slick’ High Life in N.Y. II 151: When I get hitched on to a fust rate gal, all the fellers in creation may go to Old Nick, for what I care.
1862		‘Artemus Ward’ Artemus Ward, His Book 25: It’s kinder singler [...] that so fair a made as thou never got hitched to some likely feller.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 3 Jan. 10/1: There’s a true tale told of a lovely young couple who [...] were duly hitched by a legally-ordained sky-pilot.
1890		Dead Bird (Sydney) 12 Apr. 5/3: And for nearly a week when we got hitched / We never once scrimmaged at all.
1896		Ade Artie (1963) 58: Joshin’ me and Mame, and sayin’ ‘That’s all right. some time I’ll come and see you two hitched up.’.
1902		Bulletin (Sydney) 26 Jul. 14/3: Then he called three other curs to mount the scaffolding in his company so as to get a better view of the hitching-on.
1912		Sport (Adelaide) 3 Aug. 14/3: They Say [...] That Jack N. wants to sell his ‘Pat and Mike ’ before he gets hitched up.
1914		C.J. Dennis ‘The Play’ in Bulletin (Sydney) 16 July 47/1: ’E spouts a piece about ’ow ’e’s bewitched: / Then they git ’itched.
1929		E. Dahlberg Bottom Dogs 233: Everybody said outside after sunday church was over, that it was a jesus pity that a good, worked-to-deathed woman should be hitched up to a godless man like Jeremy Maxwell.
1937		E. Anderson Thieves Like Us (1999) 133: Did you two go and get hitched.
1938		Flash! (Wash., D.C.) 21 Feb. 11/1: unhitch—Same as reno-vate, meaning to get a new lease on life from the divorce courts, and freedom from your wife.
1939		H. Miller Tropic of Capricorn (1964) 252: Did I ever think you’d be chump enough to get hitched up to her?
1948		(con. 1944) N. Mailer Naked and Dead 293: Ruthie and me got hitched.
1957		H. Simmons Corner Boy 83: When are we getting hitched anyway?
1960		J.D. Macdonald Slam the Big Door (1961) 62: All of a sudden you’re type-cast [...] Young woman getting unhitched.
1960		C. MacInnes Mr Love and Justice (1964) 184: We’re not hitched up yet.
1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 34: You mean you got hitched to a wog?
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 107: hitched gayly married.
1978		F. Norman Dead Butler Caper 102: We wound up gettin’ ’itched one Saturday mornin’ down Stepney Green registry orffice.
1984		Benjamin & Pearl Limericks Down Under 76: Tho’ the locals pooh-poohed him / A dark lady wooed him. / He finished up hitched at Howlong.
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 211: It would obviously be tidier to get us hitched as soon as possible.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 128: I’m getting married to the daughter of this dive’s owner [...] As soon as I’m hitched I can pay you off.
1997		N. Barlay Curvy Lovebox 18: With him gettin’ hitched at five [...] there’s more than enough to do.
2005		Guardian 6 Dec. 2: Come on you queens, grab your coat and hat — you’re gonna get hitched!
2010		L. Redhead Thrill City [ebook] Alex had already told me having kids was one of the reasons he wanted to get hitched.
2015		T. Pluck ‘Mannish Water’ in Life During Wartime (2018) 123: ‘A fat geek and a hot hillbilly broad’.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 41: Tile the bathroom. Adopt a puppy. Get hitched.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 15: I’d head to Reno for a quickie [divorce], but it might not work. We got hitched in T.J., so the paperwork could get dicey.