From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
couple
n 1: a small indefinite number; "he's coming for a couple of
days"
2: a pair of people who live together; "a married couple from
Chicago" [syn: mates, match]
3: a pair who associate with one another; "the engaged couple";
"an inseparable twosome" [syn: twosome, duo, duet]
4: two items of the same kind [syn: pair, twosome, twain,
brace, span, yoke, couplet, distich, duo,
duet, dyad, duad]
5: something joined by two equal and opposite forces that act
along parallel lines
v 1: bring two objects, ideas, or people together; "This fact is
coupled to the other one"; "Matchmaker, can you match my
daughter with a nice young man?"; "The student was
paired with a partner for collaboration on the project"
[syn: match, mate, pair, twin]
2: link together; "can we couple these proposals?" [syn:
couple on, couple up] [ant: uncouple]
3: form a pair or pairs; "The two old friends paired off" [syn:
pair, pair off, partner off]
4: make love; "Birds mate in the Spring" [syn: copulate,
mate, pair]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Couple \Cou"ple\ (k[u^]p"'l), n. [F. couple, fr. L. copula a
bond, band; co- + apere, aptum, to join. See Art, a., and
cf. Copula.]
1. That which joins or links two things together; a bond or
tie; a coupler. [Obs.]
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It is in some sort with friends as it is with dogs
in couples; they should be of the same size and
humor. --L'Estrange.
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I'll go in couples with her. --Shak.
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2. Two of the same kind connected or considered together; a
pair; a brace. "A couple of shepherds." --Sir P. Sidney.
"A couple of drops" --Addison. "A couple of miles."
--Dickens. "A couple of weeks." --Carlyle.
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Adding one to one we have the complex idea of a
couple. --Locke.
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[Ziba] met him with a couple of asses saddled. --2
Sam. xvi. 1.
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3. A male and female associated together; esp., a man and
woman who are married or betrothed.
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Such were our couple, man and wife. --Lloyd.
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Fair couple linked in happy, nuptial league.
--Milton.
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4. (Arch.) See Couple-close.
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5. (Elec.) One of the pairs of plates of two metals which
compose a voltaic battery; -- called a voltaic couple or
galvanic couple.
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6. (Mech.) Two rotations, movements, etc., which are equal in
amount but opposite in direction, and acting along
parallel lines or around parallel axes.
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Note: The effect of a couple of forces is to produce a
rotation. A couple of rotations is equivalent to a
motion of translation.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Couple \Cou"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coupled (k[u^]p"'ld); p.
pr. & vb. n. Coupling (k[u^]p"l[i^]ng).] [F. coupler, fr.
L. copulare. See Couple, n., and cf. Copulate, Cobble,
v.]
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1. To link or tie, as one thing to another; to connect or
fasten together; to join.
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Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds, . .
.
And couple Clowder with the deep-mouthed brach.
--Shak.
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2. To join in wedlock; to marry. [Colloq.]
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A parson who couples all our beggars. --Swift.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Couple \Cou"ple\, v. i.
To come together as male and female; to copulate. [Obs.]
--Milton. Bacon.
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