Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense couples, present participle coupling, past tense, past participle coupled
1. quantifier
If you refer to a couple of people or things, you mean two or approximately two of them, although the exact number is not important or you are not sure of it.
Across the street from me there are a couple of police officers standing guard. [+ of]
I think the trouble will clear up in a couple of days. [+ of]
...a small town a couple of hundred miles from New York City. [+ of]
Couple is also a determiner in spoken American English, and before 'more' and 'less'.
...a couple weeks before the election.
I think I can play maybe for a couple more years.
Couple is also a pronoun.
I've got a couple that don't look too bad.
2. countable noun [with singular or plural verb]
A couple is two people who are married, living together, or having a sexual relationship.
The couple have no children.
...after burglars ransacked an elderly couple's home.
...an isolated spot popular with courting couples.
Synonyms: husband and wife, pair, item More Synonyms of couple
3. countable noun [with singular or plural verb]
A couple is two people that you see together on a particular occasion or that have some association.
...as the four couples began the opening dance.
They were an odd couple.
4. verb [usually passive]
If you say that one thing produces a particular effect when it is coupled with another, you mean that the two things combine to produce that effect.
...a problem that is coupled with lower demand for the machines themselves. [beVERB-ed + with]
Over-use of those drugs, coupled with poor diet, leads to physical degeneration. [VERB-ed]
...memories or past failures, coupled with a feeling of guilt. [VERB-ed]
5. verb [usually passive]
If one piece of equipment is coupledto another, it is joined to it so that the two pieces of equipment work together.
Its engine is coupled to a semiautomatic gearbox. [beVERB-ed + to]
The various systems are coupled together in complex arrays. [beV-ed + together]
couplingsingular noun [usually theNOUNof noun]
The technique requires the coupling of a particle accelerator and a mass spectrometer.
6. See also coupling
More Synonyms of couple
couple in British English
(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. mainly hunting
a.
a pair of collars joined by a leash, used to attach hounds to one another
b.
two hounds joined in this way
c.
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
a.
two dissimilar metals, alloys, or semiconductors in electrical contact, across which a voltage develops
thermocouple
b. 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
6.
a connector or link between two members, such as a tie connecting a pair of rafters in a roof
7. a couple of
pronoun
8. (usually preceded by a; functioning as singular or plural)
two; a pair
give him a couple
verb
9. (transitive)
to connect (two things) together or to connect (one thing) to (another)
to couple railway carriages
10. (transitive)
to do (two things) simultaneously or alternately
he couples studying with teaching
11.
to form or be formed into a pair or pairs
12.
to associate, put, or connect together
history is coupled with sociology
13.
to link (two circuits) by electromagnetic induction
14. (intransitive)
to have sexual intercourse
15.
to join or be joined in marriage; marry
16. (transitive)
to attach (two hounds to each other)
Word origin
C13: from Old French: a pair, from Latin cōpula a bond; see copula
couple in American English
(ˈkʌpəl) (verb-pled, -pling)
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. Hunting
two hounds
25 hounds or 121⁄2 couple
8. See a couple of
transitive verb
9.
to fasten, link, or associate together in a pair or pairs
10.
to join; connect
11.
to unite in marriage or in sexual union
12. Electricity
a.
to join or associate by means of a coupler
b.
to bring (two electric circuits or circuit components) close enough to permit an exchange of electromagnetic energy
intransitive verb
13.
to join in a pair; unite
14.
to copulate
Derived forms
coupleable
adjective
Word origin
[1175–1225; (n.) ME ‹ AF c(o)uple, OF cople, cuple ‹ L cōpula a tie, bond ( see copula); (v.) ME couplen ‹ AF co(u)pler, OF copler, cupler ‹ L copulāre ( see copulate)]
couple in Mechanical Engineering
(kʌpəl)
Word forms: (regular plural) couples
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Mechanics and dynamics)
A couple consists of two parallel forces acting at different points on a body, often makingit rotate.
The jaws of a spanner introduce a couple acting on the nut to rotate it.
If two equal and opposite forces act so that their lines of action are a distanceapart, the result is a pure turning effort known as a couple.
A couple consists of two parallel forces acting at different points on a body, often makingit rotate.
COBUILD Collocations
couple
childless couple
elderly couple
gay couple
Examples of 'couple' in a sentence
couple
This is a drama about a couple forced to split up?
The Sun (2015)
Think of the awe in which people hold couples who are happily married for long periods.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Outside these men a few couples danced round merrily in the usual stamping way.
Eric Newby A BOOK OF LANDS AND PEOPLES (2003)
But they said that the growing number of cohabiting couples were excluded from the picture.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They were popular with the elderly couple and their family and their employment was considered a success.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The couple split in one of the most acrimonious divorces in the business world in recent years.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But this show has undergone a weird transformation at some point in the past couple of years.
The Sun (2014)
It leaves another couple of items on that list.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
How can the couple make their home reflect its chic location?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They began a serious relationship and as time went on the two couples grew very close.
The Sun (2014)
You will see us become a consumer bank within the next couple of years.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It also raises a couple of other queries.
The Sun (2008)
The couple lived in a room furnished only with a heap of straw.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The couples are played at full pelt by the finest actors in town.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The effect on the couple in the bed was instantaneous.
The Sun (2013)
So couples demand luxury and space to help them relax there.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The pair practised a couple of courts apart yesterday.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Thankfully in the last couple of weeks the walks have been a bit shorter!
The Sun (2009)
The area the couple are looking at is known for its good schools.
The Sun (2006)
Some close at noon for a couple of hours and then reopen until sunset.
Jepson, Tim Umbria - the green heart of Italy (1989)
You could just pay couples to stay together.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We went to couple counselling but things got worse.
The Sun (2010)
They have tried a couple of attacks either to capture me or to kill me.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
QA familiar face returns to the wards of Holby City in a couple of weeks!
The Sun (2008)
In other languages
couple
British English: couple /ˈkʌpl/ NOUN
A couple is two people who are married or who are having a romantic relationship.
The couple have four children.
American English: couple
Arabic: زَوْجَان
Brazilian Portuguese: casal
Chinese: 一对夫妇
Croatian: par
Czech: pár
Danish: par
Dutch: koppel stelletje
European Spanish: pareja par
Finnish: pari
French: couple
German: Paar
Greek: ζευγάρι
Italian: coppia
Japanese: カップル
Korean: 한 쌍
Norwegian: par
Polish: para
European Portuguese: casal
Romanian: cuplu
Russian: пара
Latin American Spanish: pareja dos personas, animales o cosas
Swedish: par
Thai: คู่
Turkish: çift
Ukrainian: пара
Vietnamese: cặp đôi
British English: couple /ˈkʌpl/ DETERMINER
A couple of people or things means two or around two of them.
Things should get better in a couple of days.
American English: couple
Arabic: بَعْض
Brazilian Portuguese: alguns
Chinese: 两个
Croatian: par
Czech: párněkolik
Danish: par
Dutch: een paar
European Spanish: par
Finnish: pari, muutama
French: deux ou trois
German: ein paar
Greek: δύο
Italian: paio
Japanese: 二つ/二人くらい
Korean: 둘의
Norwegian: par
Polish: kilka
European Portuguese: par
Romanian: câțiva
Russian: пара
Latin American Spanish: par
Swedish: par
Thai: คู่
Turkish: birkaç
Ukrainian: два
Vietnamese: cặp đôi
British English: couple VERB
If you say that one thing produces a particular effect when it is coupled with another, you mean that the two things combine to produce that effect.
...a problem that is coupled with lower demand for the machines themselves.
American English: couple
Brazilian Portuguese: unir
Chinese: 与…结合
European Spanish: unir
French: combiner
German: verbinden
Italian: associare
Japanese: 結びつける
Korean: ~와 결부되다
European Portuguese: ligar
Latin American Spanish: unir
All related terms of 'couple'
gay couple
A couple is two people who are married , living together, or having a sexual relationship.
barge couple
either of a pair of outside rafters along the gable end of a roof
first couple
→ the first couple
happy couple
two people in a happy romantic relationship , esp two people who have just married
a couple of
a combination of two; a pair of
courting couple
a pair of lovers
elderly couple
A couple is two people who are married , living together, or having a sexual relationship .
galvanic couple
two people who regularly associate with each other or live together
voltaic couple
a pair of dissimilar metals in an electrolyte with a potential difference between the metals resulting from chemical action
childless couple
A couple is two people who are married , living together, or having a sexual relationship .
honeymoon couple
a newly-married couple who are on their honeymoon
the first couple
the US president and their spouse
thermoelectric couple
a device for measuring temperature consisting of a pair of wires of different metals or semiconductors joined at both ends. One junction is at the temperature to be measured, the second at a fixed temperature. The electromotive force generated depends upon the temperature difference
thermocouple
a device for measuring temperature consisting of a pair of wires of different metals or semiconductors joined at both ends . One junction is at the temperature to be measured, the second at a fixed temperature. The electromotive force generated depends upon the temperature difference
Chinese translation of 'couple'
couple
(ˈkʌpl)
n(c)
(married) 夫妻 (fūqī) (对, duì)
(living together) 情侣(侶) (qínglǚ) (对, duì)
(= twosome) 对(對) (duì)
a couple of (= two) 两(兩)个(個) (liǎng gè) (= a few) 几(幾)个(個) (jǐ gè)
vt
coupled with sth配上某物 (pèishàng mǒuwù)
to couple sth to sth[machinery]将(將)某物与(與)某物连(連)接起来(來) (jiāng mǒuwù yǔ mǒuwù liánjiē qǐlái)
1 (noun)
Definition
two partners in a dance or game
There are a couple of police officers standing guard.
Synonyms
pair
A pair of teenage boys were arrested.
two
brace
a brace of grouse
span
duo
the famous singing and dancing duo
twain (archaic)
twosome
2 (noun)
Definition
two people who are married or romantically involved
The couple have no children.
Synonyms
husband and wife
pair
item
Phrasal verbs
See couple something to something
See couple something with something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of brace
Definition
a pair, esp. of game birds
a brace of grouse
Synonyms
pair,
couple,
twosome
in the sense of duo
Definition
two people who have something in common or do something together