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couple

/ˈkəpəl/

/ˈkəpəl/

Other forms: couples; coupled

If you are hanging out with a couple of friends, you are hanging out with two friends. A couple is a pair or a twosome. As a verb, couple means "to pair or match."

As a noun, couple means "a pair." If two people are dating, you can refer to them as "a couple." Similarly, two people who are married can be called a "married couple." Two guys playing basketball can be called "a couple of guys playing basketball." As a verb, couple means "to pair or combine," as people on a dance floor might couple or form pairs when the music starts. You can also couple two ideas by combining them.

Definitions of couple
  1. noun
    two items of the same kind
    synonyms: brace, couplet, distich, duad, duet, duo, dyad, pair, span, twain, twosome, yoke
    see moresee less
    types:
    doubleton
    (bridge) a pair of playing cards that are the only cards in their suit in the hand dealt to a player
    type of:
    2, II, deuce, two
    the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
  2. noun
    a pair who associate with one another
    “the engaged couple
    synonyms: duet, duo, twosome
    see moresee less
    types:
    same-sex marriage
    two people of the same sex who live together as a family
    type of:
    pair
    two people considered as a unit
  3. noun
    a pair of people who live together
    “a married couple from Chicago”
    synonyms: match, mates
    see moresee less
    types:
    power couple
    a couple both of whom have high-powered careers or are politically influential
    DINK
    a couple who both have careers and no children (an acronym for dual income no kids)
    type of:
    family, family unit
    primary social group; parents and children
  4. noun
    (physics) something joined by two equal and opposite forces that act along parallel lines
    see moresee less
    types:
    dipole
    a pair of equal and opposite electric charges or magnetic poles separated by a small distance
    electric dipole, electric doublet
    a dipole with equal and opposite electric charges
    magnetic dipole
    a dipole with opposing magnetic poles
    type of:
    building block, unit
    a single undivided natural thing occurring in the composition of something else
  5. verb
    form a pair or pairs
    synonyms: pair, pair off, partner off
    see moresee less
    type of:
    unify, unite
    act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief
  6. verb
    bring two objects, ideas, or people together
    “This fact is coupled to the other one”
    synonyms: match, mate, pair, twin
    match
    give or join in marriage
    see moresee less
    types:
    mismate
    provide with an unsuitable mate
    mismatch
    match badly; match two objects or people that do not go together
    type of:
    bring together, join
    cause to become joined or linked
  7. verb
    link together
    “can we couple these proposals?”
    synonyms: couple on, couple up
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    decouple, uncouple
    disconnect or separate
    type of:
    attach
    cause to be attached
  8. verb
    engage in sexual intercourse
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 7 types...
    hide 7 types...
    nick
    mate successfully; of livestock
    have intercourse, have sex, love, roll in the hay
    have sexual intercourse with
    tread
    mate with
    serve, service
    mate with
    have, take
    have sex with; archaic use
    fornicate
    have sex without being married
    stand
    be available for stud services
    type of:
    conjoin, join
    make contact or come together
  9. noun
    a small indefinite number
    “he's coming for a couple of days”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity
    an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude
Pronunciation
US

/ˈkəpəl/

UK

/ˈkəpəl/

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