couple

[ kuhp-uhl ]

noun

1. two of the same sort considered together; pair.
2. two persons considered as joined together, as a married or engaged pair, lovers, or dance partners:

   They make a handsome couple.

3. any two persons considered together.
4. Mechanics. a pair of equal, parallel forces acting in opposite directions and tending to produce rotation.
5. Also called couple-close. Carpentry. a pair of rafters connected by a tie beam or collar beam.
6. a leash for holding two hounds together.
7. Fox Hunting. two hounds:

   25 hounds or 12½ couple.

verb (used with object)

, cou·pled, cou·pling.

1. to fasten, link, or associate together in a pair or pairs.
2. to join; connect.
3. to unite in marriage or in sexual union.
4. Electricity.
   1. to join or associate by means of a coupler.
   2. to bring (two electric circuits or circuit components) close enough to permit an exchange of electromagnetic energy.

verb (used without object)

, cou·pled, cou·pling.

1. to join in a pair; unite.
2. to copulate.

couple

/ ˈkʌpəl /

noun

1. two people who regularly associate with each other or live together

   an engaged couple

2. functioning as singular or plural two people considered as a pair, for or as if for dancing, games, etc
3. hunting
   1. a pair of collars joined by a leash, used to attach hounds to one another
   2. two hounds joined in this way
   3. the unit of reckoning for hounds in a pack

      twenty and a half couple

4. 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
5. physics
   1. two dissimilar metals, alloys, or semiconductors in electrical contact, across which a voltage develops See thermocouple
   2. Also calledgalvanic couple two dissimilar metals or alloys in electrical contact that when immersed in an electrolyte act as the electrodes of an electrolytic cell
6. a connector or link between two members, such as a tie connecting a pair of rafters in a roof
7. a couple of
   functioning as singular or plural
   1. a combination of two; a pair of

      a couple of men

   2. a small number of; a few

      a couple of days

pronoun

1. usually preceded by a; functioning as singular or plural two; a pair

   give him a couple

verb

1. tr to connect (two things) together or to connect (one thing) to (another)

   to couple railway carriages

2. tr to do (two things) simultaneously or alternately

   he couples studying with teaching

3. to form or be formed into a pair or pairs
4. to associate, put, or connect together

   history is coupled with sociology

5. to link (two circuits) by electromagnetic induction
6. intr to have sexual intercourse
7. to join or be joined in marriage; marry
8. tr to attach (two hounds to each other)

Grammar Note

The phrase a couple of, meaning “a small number of; a few; several,” has been in standard use for centuries, especially with measurements of time and distance and in referring to amounts of money: They walked a couple of miles in silence. Repairs will probably cost a couple of hundred dollars. The phrase is used in all but the most formal speech and writing. The shortened phrase a couple, without of ( The gas station is a couple miles from here ), is an Americanism of recent development that occurs chiefly in informal speech or representations of speech, especially when followed by number terms (as a couple dozen eggs ) or units of measurement (as a couple years ago; a couple gallons of gas ). This use of couple (as an adjective or modifier) is still disliked by many. Without a following noun, a couple is even more informal: Jack shouldn't drive. It's clear he's had a couple. (Here the noun drinks is omitted.) 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. collective noun.

Other Words From

• couple·a·ble adjective
• inter·couple adjective
• well-coupled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of couple¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; (noun) Middle English, from Anglo-French c(o)uple, Old French cople, cuple, from Latin cōpula “a tie, bond” ( copula ); (verb) Middle English couplen, from Anglo-French co(u)pler, Old French copler, cupler, from Latin copulāre ( copulate )

Word History and Origins

Origin of couple¹

C13: from Old French: a pair, from Latin cōpula a bond; see copula

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. a couple of, more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few: Also Informal, a couple.

   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.

Synonym Study

See pair ¹

Example Sentences

I’ve never met Andrew Doughty, but for the past couple of decades have considered his deeply researched Revealed guides about as necessary as sunscreen or swim shorts for a Hawaii trip.

From Washington Post

Even if we’re up a couple goals in the third, the easiest way to defend is probably attacking and keep the puck and possession.

From Washington Post

A few weeks later, Willie messaged to let me know they were officially a couple.

From Washington Post

I’ve done this in the past, and it hasn’t worked out, though I do believe that if the issues that a couple disagrees on are not pivotal to the point of negatively affecting others in any way, shape, or form, then it can be discussed.

From Washington Blade

I’ve made a couple of dates where we were going to go out and meet at a place, but they were canceled because of a massive spike in cases in Monroe County.

From Washington Post

We do see that a few European countries have them on the books: Germany, Poland, Italy, Ireland, a couple more.

From The Daily Beast

A couple of people were treated for minor injuries but no major incidents occurred.

From The Daily Beast

I finally called Lee a couple of times and we talked but he was busy with guests at the house.

From The Daily Beast

There is one time, however, when couple dancing is in high demand, and that is around weddings.

From The Daily Beast

The court papers are sealed, but the couple has made it clear they want to be relieved of their parental responsibilities.

From The Daily Beast

He thus decoyed them away, and the fortunate couple were enabled to reach the British lines under cover of the darkness.

From Project Gutenberg

They had the advantage in position and numbers, but Guitar had the advantage in having a couple of pieces of artillery.

From Project Gutenberg

It consisted in a couple of snakes in old gold clenching an enormous topaz between their heads.

From Project Gutenberg

Martini prepared a couple of stout mules, and concealed them amongst the thickets on the opposite side of the fosse.

From Project Gutenberg

This takes at first the crude device of a couple of vertical lines attached to the head (see Fig. 4).

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• set
• team