couple (ˈkʌpəll
)
Definitions
noun
- two people who regularly associate with each other or live together ⇒
an engaged couple
- (functioning as singular or plural) two people considered as a pair, for or as if for dancing, games, etc
- mainly hunting
- a pair of collars joined by a leash, used to attach hounds to one another
- two hounds joined in this way
- the unit of reckoning for hounds in a pack ⇒
twenty and a half couple
- 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
- physics
- two dissimilar metals, alloys, or semiconductors in electrical contact, across which a voltage develops See thermocouple
- Also called
galvanic couple two dissimilar metals or alloys in electrical contact that when immersed in an electrolyte act as the electrodes of an electrolytic cell
- a connector or link between two members, such as a tie connecting a pair of rafters in a roof
- See a couple of
pronoun
- (usually preceded by a; functioning as singular or plural) two; a pair ⇒
give him a couple
verb
- (tr) to connect (two things) together or to connect (one thing) to (another) ⇒
to couple railway carriages
- (tr) to do (two things) simultaneously or alternately ⇒
he couples studying with teaching
- to form or be formed into a pair or pairs
- to associate, put, or connect together ⇒
history is coupled with sociology
- to link (two circuits) by electromagnetic induction
- (intr) to have sexual intercourse
- to join or be joined in marriage; marry
- (tr) to attach (two hounds to each other)
Word Origin
C13: from Old French: a pair, from Latin cōpula a bond; see copulaTranslations
- British English:
couple
A couple is two people who are married or who are having a romantic relationship.The couple have four children.ˈkʌpl NOUN The couple have four children.
- Spanish:
pareja
nf
- French:
couple
nm
- German:
Paar
nnt
- Chinese: 一对夫妇 n
- Arabic: زَوْجَان n
- Portuguese: casal nm
- Russian: пара nf
- Croatian: par nm
- Czech: pár nm
- Danish: par nnt
- Dutch: koppel nnt
- Finnish: pari n
- Greek: ζευγάρι nnt
- Italian: coppia nf
- Japanese: カップル n
- Korean: 한 쌍 n
- Norwegian: par nnt
- Polish: para nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: casal nm
- European Spanish:
pareja
nf
- Swedish: par nnt
- Thai: คู่ n
- Turkish: çift n
- Vietnamese: cặp đôi n
- British English:
couple
A couple of people or things means two or around two of them.Things should get better in a couple of days.ˈkʌpl DETERMINER Things should get better in a couple of days.
- French: deux ou trois det
- Arabic: بَعْض det
- Brazilian Portuguese: alguns pron algumas
Usage examples
She was in Greenharbour a couple of years ago for my uncle's birthday.
, TREASON KEEP (2001)'Sir Morgan sold it a couple of months back to some young family from London or some such.
Country Life (2004)I do hope so; I know a couple of poor barristers who haven't got a swimming pool yet.
Irish Times (2002)I've been having problems starting matches for the last couple of years - I seem to go in sometimes and not even try.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Nor would she observe the French tradition of the bride providing a substantial dowry, redeemable should the couple ever split.
, NANCY WAKE (2002)