couple
two of the same sort considered together; pair.
two persons considered as joined together, as a married or engaged pair, lovers, or dance partners: They make a handsome couple.
any two persons considered together.
Mechanics. a pair of equal, parallel forces acting in opposite directions and tending to produce rotation.
Also called couple-close. Carpentry. a pair of rafters connected by a tie beam or collar beam.
a leash for holding two hounds together.
Fox Hunting. two hounds: 25 hounds or 12½ couple.
to fasten, link, or associate together in a pair or pairs.
to join; connect.
to unite in marriage or in sexual union.
Electricity.
to join or associate by means of a coupler.
to bring (two electric circuits or circuit components) close enough to permit an exchange of electromagnetic energy.
to join in a pair; unite.
to copulate.
Idioms about couple
a couple of, more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few: It will take a couple of days for the package to get there.A dinner party, whether for a couple of old friends or eight new acquaintances, takes nearly the same amount of effort.: Also Informal, a couple.
Origin of couple
1synonym study For couple
Grammar notes for couple
In referring to two people, couple, like many collective nouns, may take either a singular or a plural verb. Most commonly, it is construed as a plural: The couple were traveling to Texas. See also collective noun.
Other words from couple
- cou·ple·a·ble, adjective
- in·ter·cou·ple, adjective
- well-coupled, adjective
Words that may be confused with couple
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for couple
/ (ˈkʌpəl) /
two people who regularly associate with each other or live together: an engaged couple
(functioning as singular or plural) two people considered as a pair, for or as if for dancing, games, etc
mainly hunting
a pair of collars joined by a leash, used to attach hounds to one another
two hounds joined in this way
the unit of reckoning for hounds in a pack: twenty and a half couple
a pair of equal and opposite parallel forces that have a tendency to produce rotation with a torque or turning moment equal to the product of either force and the perpendicular distance between them
physics
two dissimilar metals, alloys, or semiconductors in electrical contact, across which a voltage develops: See thermocouple
Also called: galvanic couple two dissimilar metals or alloys in electrical contact that when immersed in an electrolyte act as the electrodes of an electrolytic cell
a connector or link between two members, such as a tie connecting a pair of rafters in a roof
a couple of (functioning as singular or plural)
a combination of two; a pair of: a couple of men
informal a small number of; a few: a couple of days
(usually preceded by a; functioning as singular or plural) two; a pair: give him a couple
(tr) to connect (two things) together or to connect (one thing) to (another): to couple railway carriages
(tr) to do (two things) simultaneously or alternately: he couples studying with teaching
to form or be formed into a pair or pairs
to associate, put, or connect together: history is coupled with sociology
to link (two circuits) by electromagnetic induction
(intr) to have sexual intercourse
to join or be joined in marriage; marry
(tr) to attach (two hounds to each other)
Origin of couple
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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