Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When you look back at that book, which was a bestseller, do you wish you had couched it a little more or not quite laid that out there for folks?
From Washington Post ● Aug. 4, 2021
The FDA's Sharfstein told Congress that J&J never explained the scope of the effort and had couched it as an attempt to assess how much Motrin remained on the market.
From BusinessWeek ● Mar. 31, 2011
Seeing the vague nature of those terms in which she had couched her refusal, and remembering her frank admission that she could love him, he still hoped.
From Children of the Mist by Eden Phillpotts
The kindly eyes rested upon her again for a moment, but he made no comment upon the form in which she had couched her reply.
From The Knave of Diamonds by Ethel M. (Ethel May) Dell
The form too in which Paul had couched his answer admitted of no compromise.
From History of the English People, Volume IV by John Richard Green
