See Also: Couch(tourism)
couch(1)(dictionary)
couch(2)(dictionary)
couch(dictionary)
couch potato(dictionary)
couch 2, verb(dictionary)
couch 1, noun(dictionary)
couch grass(encyclopedia)
Winnipeg couch(dictionary)
Quiller-Couch, Sir Arthur (Thomas)(encyclopedia)

couch (iou)



couch verb. ME.
[Old & mod. French coucher from Latin collocare: see COLLOCATE.]
I. Lay down flat, and related senses.
verb trans. Lay (things); place, set down, esp. horizontally or in layers. ME-L18.
R. Surflet An vnderstorie..to couch your wines and cidres in.
verb trans. & intrans. Embroider with gold thread etc. laid flat on the surface. LME.
verb trans. Cause to lie down, lay down (a person, one's head, etc.); put to bed; refl. lie down. Now only of an animal and as couched ppl adjective, laid or lying (as) on a couch. LME.
Keats Two fair creatures, couched side by side in deepest grass. E. Muir The tractors lie..like dank sea-monsters couched and waiting.
verb trans. Cause to crouch. Chiefly as couched ppl adjective, prostrated, cowering. LME-E18.
Shakespeare Rape of Lucrece Like a falcon tow'ring in the skies, Coucheth the fowl below with his wings' shade.
verb trans. Malting. Spread (grain) on a floor to germinate. M16.
verb trans. Paper-making. Lay (a sheet of pulp) on a felt etc. to be pressed. M18.
II. Place, arrange.
verb trans. Place in a lodging. LME-L17.
verb trans. Collect together; include in a list etc. or under a heading. LME-E18.
verb trans. Put together, arrange, (words etc.); put into writing or speech; express. Now always foll. by in certain terms, words, etc. E16.
K. M. E. Murray The flowery language in which he couched his eloquent speeches.
verb trans. Hide (a meaning, idea, etc.) under, in. M16.
J. Caird Materialistic metaphors under which our spiritual conceptions are couched.
verb trans. Hide, conceal; place in concealment. Now rare or obsolete. L16.
III. Lower, bring down.
verb trans.
a. Lower (a spear etc.) to the position of attack; level (a gun etc.). L15.
T. Gray To arms! cried Mortimer, and couch'd his quiv'ring lance.
b. Lay down, bring down, or lower, (a part of the body etc.). E17.
verb trans. & intrans. Surgery. Treat (a cataract, a patient, etc.) by displacing the opaque lens of the eye downwards into the vitreous by means of a needle. L16.
fig.: De Quincey She it was..that first couched his eye to the sense of beauty.
IV. Lie.
verb intrans. Lie, esp. at rest or in sleep. Now chiefly of a wild animal: lie in its lair. LME.
W. Owen I have couched in exactly twelve different rooms. fig.: R. Brooke Raindrops couching in cool flowers.
verb intrans. Crouch, cower, in fear, obedience, submission, etc. Formerly also, stoop under a burden. LME.
J. Baillie Like spaniel couching to his lord.
verb intrans. Lie in ambush, lurk. L16.
Tennyson Sir Launcelot passing by Spied where he couch'd.
verb intrans. Of leaves etc.: lie in a heap for decomposition. L18.
couching noun (a) the action of the verb; (b) Embroidery couched work (surface couching: see SURFACE adjective): LME.