couple
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++cou·ple1 /ˈkʌpəl/ ●●● S1 W1 AWL noun 1 a couple a) TWOtwo things or people of the same kind 一对，一双 SYN a fewa couple of There are a couple of girls waiting for you. 有两个女孩子在等你。 b) FEW/NOT MANYa small number of things 一些，几个 I just need to make a couple more calls. 我还要打几个电话。a couple of You’ll be all right in a couple of days. 过几天你就会好的。2 [countable]SYMARRY two people who are married or having a sexual or romantic relationship 一对夫妇；一对情侣 a newly married couple 一对新婚夫妇 the couple next door 隔壁的那对夫妇n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: two people who are married or having a sexual or romantic relationshipadjectivesa young/middle-aged/elderly coupleA young couple with a baby have just moved into the house next door.a married coupleUnder the new rules, a married couple will now receive £20 a week extra.a newly married couple (=having married not long ago)Many newly married couples cannot afford to buy their own homes.an unmarried coupleShe rented the room to a young, unmarried couple.a childless couple (=without children)Are childless couples more or less likely to split up?a retired couple (=having finished working at the end of their working lives)The house is suitable for a retired couple.the happy couple (=the bride and bridegroom at their wedding)Guests stood around the happy couple, their glasses raised.a perfect couple (=a couple that seem very suitable for each other)Emily and John seemed a perfect couple.a courting couple old-fashioned (=having a romantic relationship, often planning to get married later)The path by the river is a popular area for courting couples.phrasesthey make a lovely couple (=look very attractive together/suit each other well)You two would make a lovely couple.Examples from the Corpus
couple• And I've seen Fred a couple of times in the last few years.• It was a couple of hours before I could get back to Eleanor Darcy.• An elderly couple live next door.• An elderly couple was sitting on the park bench.• An entrepreneurial couple we talked to had always wanted to run a bed-and-breakfast.• Most bankruptcies involve couples who jointly file a petition to have their debts wiped out.• Shirley and Bob are a young married couple with two small children.• The house was bought by a young married couple.• They're a nice couple, aren't they?• By making breaking up harder to do, supporters believe that couples will focus more on staying together.• However, away from the cameras and microphones, the couple argued continually.• The couple fell in love before they had even set eyes on each other during a six-month long distance courtship.• the couple who live next door to me• He intends to invite some of these couples and top fertility clinic experts to appear before his panel.• It's increasingly common for unmarried couples to live together.• A young couple were walking hand in hand along the beach.couple2 AWL verb 1 [transitive]TTJOIN something TOGETHER to join or fasten two things together 〔把两件东西〕结合，连接couple something to something Each element is mathematically coupled to its neighbours. 每个元件都与相邻的元件精确地接合。2. [intransitive] formalSYSEX/HAVE SEX WITH to have sex 交配，交媾3 couple something with something phrasal verb WITHif one thing is coupled with another, the two things happen or exist together and produce a particular result 〔某物〕加上〔某物〕 SYN combine Lack of rain coupled with high temperatures caused the crops to fail. 雨量少加上高温导致农作物歉收。n Grammar Couple with is usually passive.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
couple• Efficiency is improved by coupling large numbers of boxcars together.• This meant, I assumed, that men coupled on the premises.• And Feinstein had voted for an earlier version when it was coupled with a minimum wage increase.• But after three relatively small grape harvests in a row coupled with continuing strong consumer demand, grape prices continue to increase.• This must be coupled with the creation of an attractive environment, through the transformation of derelict sites.Origin couple1 (1200-1300) Old French cople, from Latin copula; → COPULAcou·ple1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1couple2 verb →n GRAMMAR1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
people things two the same Corpus or of
couple
cou‧ple1 S1 W1 AC /ˈkʌpəl/ 
noun1. a couple
a. two things or people of the same kind
SYN a few
a couple of
There are a couple of girls waiting for you.
b. a small number of things:
I just need to make a couple more calls.
a couple of
You’ll be all right in a couple of days.
2. [countable] two people who are married or having a sexual or romantic relationship:
a newly married couple
the couple next door
■ adjectives
▪a young/middle-aged/elderly couple A young couple with a baby have just moved into the house next door.
▪a married couple Under the new rules, a married couple will now receive £20 a week extra.
▪a newly married couple (=having married not long ago) Many newly married couples cannot afford to buy their own homes.
▪an unmarried couple She rented the room to a young, unmarried couple.
▪a childless couple (=without children) Are childless couples more or less likely to split up?
▪a retired couple (=having finished working at the end of their working lives) The house is suitable for a retired couple.
▪the happy couple (=the bride and bridegroom at their wedding) Guests stood around the happy couple, their glasses raised.
▪a perfect couple (=a couple that seem very suitable for each other) Emily and John seemed a perfect couple.
▪a courting couple old-fashioned (=having a romantic relationship, often planning to get married later) The path by the river is a popular area for courting couples.
■ phrases
▪they make a lovely couple (=look very attractive together/suit each other well) You two would make a lovely couple.
▪ pair two things of the same type that you use together. Also used about two people who do something together or who you often see together: a pair of shoes | a pair of socks | Winners will receive a pair of tickets for the show. | The pair were arrested six days after the killing. | They're a funny pair! | The British pair will be playing in the final on Saturday.
▪a couple (of something) two things of the same type, or a very small number of things: There were a couple of empty seats at the table. | Do you have any stamps? I just need a couple.
▪couple noun [countable] two people who are married or having a sexual relationship: a married couple | The couple met at university.
▪twins noun [plural] two children who were born on the same day to the same mother: The twins look very alike. | identical twins
▪duo noun [countable] two people who perform together or who are often seen together: a comedy duo
▪duet noun [countable] a piece of music written for two people to play: They played a duet by Brahms.
▪twice two times adverb: The group meets twice a week. | She sneezed twice.
couple2 AC verb1. [transitive] to join or fasten two things together
couple something to something
Each element is mathematically coupled to its neighbours.
2. [intransitive] formal to have sex
couple something with something phrasal verb [usually passive]
if one thing is coupled with another, the two things happen or exist together and produce a particular result
SYN combine:
Lack of rain coupled with high temperatures caused the crops to fail.
| I |
noun1. a couplea. two things or people of the same kind
SYN a few
a couple of
b. a small number of things:
a couple of
2. [countable] two people who are married or having a sexual or romantic relationship:
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verb1. [transitive] to join or fasten two things togethercouple something to something
2. [intransitive] formal to have sex
couple something with something phrasal verb [usually passive]
if one thing is coupled with another, the two things happen or exist together and produce a particular result
SYN combine:
Romance 恋爱
fall/be (madly/deeply/hopelessly)in love (with sb)（疯狂地／深深地／无可救药地）爱上／爱着（某人） be/believe in/fall in love at first sight是／相信一见钟情；一见钟情 be/find true love/the love of your life是／找到真爱／一生的爱 suffer (from) (the pains/pangs of) unrequited love受单相思之苦 have/feel/show/express great/deep/genuine affection for sb/sth对某人／某事有着／表示出强烈的／深深的／真挚的爱慕之情 meet/marry your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend与丈夫／妻子／伴侣／未婚夫／未婚妻／男朋友／女朋友结识／结婚 have/go on a (blind)date 有个／去约会／相亲 be going out with/ ( especially
NAmE dating a guy/girl/boy/man/woman与一个小伙子／女生／男生／男人／女人在谈恋爱 move in with/live with your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner与男朋友／女朋友／伴侣同居
Weddings 婚礼
get/be engaged/married/divorced订婚；结婚；离婚 arrange/plan a wedding安排婚礼 have a big wedding/a honeymoon/a happy marriage举行隆重的婚礼；度蜜月；婚姻幸福 have/enter into an arranged marriage有一个／走入包办婚姻 call off/cancel/postpone your wedding取消／推迟婚礼 invite sb to/go to/attend a wedding/a wedding ceremony/a wedding reception邀请某人出席／参加婚礼／结婚典礼／结婚喜宴 conduct/perform a wedding ceremony举行结婚典礼 exchange rings/wedding vows/marriage vows交换戒指；互致结婚誓言 congratulate/toast/raise a glass to the happy couple祝贺这对幸福的新人；为这对幸福的伉俪干杯 be/go on honeymoon (with your wife/husband)（与妻子／丈夫）在／去度蜜月 celebrate your first (wedding) anniversary庆祝第一个（结婚）纪念日
Separation and divorce 分居和离婚
be unfaithful to/ ( cheat on your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend对丈夫／妻子／伴侣／未婚夫／未婚妻／男朋友／女朋友不忠 have an affair (with sb)（和某人）有暧昧关系 break off/end an engagement/a relationship解除／终止婚约／恋爱关系 break up with/split up with/ ( dump your boyfriend/girlfriend与男友／女友分手；甩掉男友／女友 separate from/be separated from/leave/divorce your husband/wife和丈夫／妻子分居；离弃丈夫／妻子；与丈夫／妻子离婚 annul/dissolve a marriage宣布婚姻无效；解除婚姻关系 apply for/ask for/go through/get a divorce申请／要求／办理离婚；离婚 get/gain/be awarded/have/lose custody of the children获得／被判予／拥有／失去对孩子的监护权 pay alimony/child support (to your ex-wife/husband)（向前妻／前夫）支付生活费／子女抚养费
