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

Her absence, coupled with Republican majorities, could allow conservative lawmakers to advance their priorities more aggressively, as well as reshaping the balance of power in future farm policy negotiations.

From Salon

“And when he sees a couple of his first shots go in, he can get in that mode where he’s unconscious. I kinda expect it from him because I’ve watched him a lot.”

From Los Angeles Times

But the dog — Mushie — has yet to turn up and the determined couple are now having to endure scam calls and pranksters barking into the phone line.

From Los Angeles Times

Everyone in her group was laden with two or three cone-shaped bundles — a couple dozen each of ranunculus, sweet peas, lisianthus, Queen Anne’s lace, spray roses and large roses in ivory and white.

From Los Angeles Times

“I have a student who’s transgender and a couple of students who are gay. Their emotional state was so closed down.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• set
• team