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pair
1[ pair ]
noun
- two identical, similar, or corresponding things that are matched for use together:
a pair of gloves;
a pair of earrings.
- something consisting of or regarded as having two parts or pieces joined together:
a pair of scissors;
a pair of slacks.
- two individuals who are similar or in some way associated:
a pair of liars;
a pair of seal pups.
- a married, engaged, or dating couple.
- two mated animals.
- a span or team:
a pair of horses.
- Government.
- two members on opposite sides in a deliberative body who for convenience, as to permit absence, arrange together to forgo voting on a given occasion.
- the arrangement thus made.
- Cards.
- two playing cards of the same denomination without regard to suit or color.
- pairs, two card players who are matched together against different contestants.
- pairs, pair skating.
- Also called kinematic pair. Mechanics. two parts or pieces so connected that they mutually constrain relative motion.
- Philately. two postage stamps joined together either vertically or horizontally.
- a set or combination of more than two objects forming a collective whole:
a pair of beads.
verb (used with object)
- to arrange or designate in pairs or groups of two:
She paired dancers for the waltz contest.
- to form into a pair, as by matching, joining, etc.; match; couple:
to pair freshly washed socks.
- (of animals) to cause to mate.
verb (used without object)
- to separate into pairs or groups of two (usually followed by off ):
to pair off for a procession.
- to form a pair or pairs.
- to be a member of a pair.
- to match with or resemble another.
- to unite in close association with another, as in a business partnership, friendship, marriage, etc.
- (of animals) to mate.
- Government. (in a deliberative body) to form or arrange a pair.
pair
2[ per ]
adjective
- French. noting any even number, especially in roulette. Compare impair.
pair
1/ per /
pair
2/ pɛə /
noun
- two identical or similar things matched for use together
a pair of socks
- two persons, animals, things, etc, used or grouped together
a pair of scoundrels
a pair of horses
- an object considered to be two identical or similar things joined together
a pair of trousers
- two people joined in love or marriage
- a male and a female animal of the same species, esp such animals kept for breeding purposes
- parliamentary procedure
- two opposed members who both agree not to vote on a specified motion or for a specific period of time
- the agreement so made
- two playing cards of the same rank or denomination
a pair of threes
- one member of a matching pair
I can't find the pair to this glove
- cricket a pair of spectacles (the cricketing term) See spectacles
- rowing See pair-oar
- dialect.a group or set of more than two
- logic maths
- a set with two members
- an ordered set with two members
verb
- often foll by off to arrange or fall into groups of twos
- to group or be grouped in matching pairs
to pair socks
- to join or be joined in marriage; mate or couple
- when tr, usually passive parliamentary procedure to form or cause to form a pair
18 members were paired for the last vote
Usage
Grammar Note
Other Words From
- pairwise adverb
- un·paired adjective
- well-paired adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of pair1
Origin of pair2
Word History and Origins
Origin of pair1
Idioms and Phrases
- grow a pair, Slang: Vulgar. to act in a stereotypically manly way, as by being brave:
Stop the whining and grow a pair!
More idioms and phrases containing pair
In addition to the idiom beginning with pair , also see show one's (a clean pair of) heels .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Some people are adamant that chocolate does not pair well with wine, period, no how, no way.
Vancouver’s Jordie Benn and Quinn Hughes are the second-worst defensive pair in regard to shot quality allowed.
“One pair of dry socks lives in my sleeping bag,” Oram says.
With the pair of games next week, Maryland will be on track to finish the season with 20 conference games as planned, despite the schedule disruptions the Big Ten has navigated this season because of the pandemic.
The second experiment, still using MTurk, added a pair of wrinkles.
Oh, and the first press image they released was a pair of black dudes in tracksuits as a troll of sorts to NME.
It will still carry a pair of Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM long-range air-to-air missiles and a pair of bombs.
Gurley was gunned down on Nov. 20, when a pair of cops was patrolling the rough housing project.
One of them had not been given time to get dressed; he was perp-walked wearing only a pair of boxers.
They waved down a pair of responding cops who followed the alleged cop killer into the subway.
He stood, with the air of a hero, both arms extended towards the amazed pair of lovers.
Under the long lashes of low lids a pair of eyes black and insolent set off the haughty lines of her scarlet lips.
Here the pair reached the "Dun Cow" and retired to their respective quarters.
Since words have different meanings, we may sometimes find that a pair of words exemplify all three Laws, as plough and sword.
The opposite of these two methods of rote learning is my method, which injects an active process between each pair of words.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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