To elope, most literally, merely means to run away with intention of getting marrie. More specifically, elopement is often used to refer to a marriage conducted in sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving hurried flight away from one's place of residence. Recently, the definition of "elope" has been expanded in popular culture to include a marriage which takes place in private, without advance notice, and which comes as a bit of a surprise to the couple's family and friends. In this usage case, there is no negative connotation to the term elopment, rather, the term is simply used to describe a surprise and unannounced wedding.Increasingly, no publicly announced engagement precedes the elopement, therefore renedering the act a true surprise to friends and family.