A couple

[kuhp-uh l] /ˈkʌp əl/
noun
two of the same sort considered together; pair.
two persons considered as joined together, as a married or engaged pair, lovers, or dance partners:
they make a handsome couple.
any two persons considered together.
mechanics. a pair of equal, parallel forces acting in opposite directions and tending to produce rotation.
also called couple-close. carpentry. a pair of rafters connected by a tie beam or collar beam.
a leash for holding two hounds together.
fox hunting. two hounds:
25 hounds or 12½ couple.
verb (used with object), coupled, coupling.
to fasten, link, or -ssociate together in a pair or pairs.
to join; connect.
to unite in marriage or in s-xual union.
electricity.

to join or -ssociate by means of a coupler.
to bring (two electric circuits or circuit components) close enough to permit an exchange of electromagnetic energy.

verb (used without object), coupled, coupling.
to join in a pair; unite.
to copulate.
idioms
a couple of, more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few: 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.
also, informal, a couple.
related forms
coupleable, adjective
intercouple, adjective
well-coupled, adjective
can be confused
couple, pair, several (see synonym study at pair)
usage note
couple
/ˈkʌpəl/
noun
two people who regularly -ssociate with each other or live together: an engaged couple
(functioning as singular or pl) 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
(functioning as singular or pl) a couple of

a combination of two; a pair of: a couple of men
(informal) a small number of; a few: a couple of days

pr-noun
(usually preceded by a; functioning as singular or pl) two; a pair: give him a couple
verb
(transitive) to connect (two things) together or to connect (one thing) to (another): to couple railway carriages
(transitive) to do (two things) simultaneously or alternately: he couples studying with teaching
to form or be formed into a pair or pairs
to -ssociate, put, or connect together: history is coupled with sociology
to link (two circuits) by electromagnetic induction
(intransitive) to have s-xual intercourse
to join or be joined in marriage; marry
(transitive) to attach (two hounds to each other)
word origin
c13: from old french: a pair, from latin cōpula a bond; see copula
couple
n.

late 13c., from old french cople “married couple, lovers” (12c., modern french couple), from latin copula “tie, connection,” from pie -ko-ap-, from -ko(m)- “together” + -ap- “to take, reach.” meaning broadened mid-14c. to “any two things.”
v.

c.1200, from old french copler, from cople (see couple (n.)). related: coupled; coupling.