couple

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Two items of the same kind; a pair.
2. n. Something that joins or connects two things together; a link.
3. n. Two people united, as by betrothal or marriage.
4. n. Two people together.
5. n. Informal A few; several: a couple of days.
6. n. Physics A pair of forces of equal magnitude acting in parallel but opposite directions, capable of causing rotation but not translation.
7. v. To link together; connect: coupled her refusal with an explanation.
8. v. To join as spouses; marry.
9. v. To join in sexual union.
10. v. Electricity To link (two circuits or currents) as by magnetic induction.
11. v. To form pairs; join.
12. v. To unite sexually; copulate.
13. v. To join chemically.
14. adj. Informal Two or few: "Every couple years the urge strikes, to . . . haul off to a new site” ( Garrison Keillor).

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Two of the same class or kind connected or considered together; a brace: as, a couple of oranges; “a couple of shepherds,”
2. n. Specifically A man and woman associated together, whether by marriage or by betrothal, or accompanying each other on a given occasion, as at a party: as, a loving couple; a young couple.
3. n. A pair of forces, equal, parallel, and acting in opposite directions: they tend to make the body acted upon rotate.
4. n. In electricity, a pair of metallic plates in contact, used as a source of an electrical current, as in one of the cells of a voltaic battery (a voltaic couple), or in a thermo-electric battery (a thermo-electric couple). See electricity and thermo-electricity.
5. n. plural In carpentry, rafters framed together in pairs by means of a tie at or near their lower ends.
6. n. plural Association by twos; junction of two.
7. To link or connect, as one thing with another; fasten together, especially in a pair or pairs; unite: as, to couple cars.
8. To marry; join together as husband and wife; unite in matrimony.
9. In organ-playing, to connect by means of a coupler, as two keys or keyboards. See coupler .
10. To embrace, as the sexes; copulate.
11. In organ-playing, to be susceptible of connection by means of a coupler, as one key or keyboard with another.
12. n. In astronomy, a double star.

Wiktionary

1. n. Two partners in a romantic or sexual relationship.
2. n. Two of the same kind connected or considered together.
3. n. informal A small number.
4. n. One of the pairs of plates of two metals which compose a voltaic battery, called a voltaic couple or galvanic couple.
5. n. physics Two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction (and acting along parallel lines), thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment.
6. informal A small number of.
7. v. transitive To join (two things) together, or (one thing) to (another).
8. v. transitive, dated To join in wedlock; to marry.
9. v. intransitive To join in sexual intercourse; to copulate.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. obsolete That which joins or links two things together; a bond or tie; a coupler.
2. n. Two of the same kind connected or considered together; a pair; a brace.
3. n. A male and female associated together; esp., a man and woman who are married or betrothed.
4. n. (Arch.) See Couple-close.
5. n. (Elec.) One of the pairs of plates of two metals which compose a voltaic battery; -- called a voltaic couple or galvanic couple.
6. n. (Mech.) Two rotations, movements, etc., which are equal in amount but opposite in direction, and acting along parallel lines or around parallel axes.
7. v. To link or tie, as one thing to another; to connect or fasten together; to join.
8. v. colloq. To join in wedlock; to marry.
9. v. obsolete To come together as male and female; to copulate.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. link together
2. v. bring two objects, ideas, or people together
3. n. a pair who associate with one another
4. n. a small indefinite number
5. n. two items of the same kind
6. v. engage in sexual intercourse
7. v. form a pair or pairs
8. n. a pair of people who live together
9. n. (physics) something joined by two equal and opposite forces that act along parallel lines