Definitions for: Couch


[n] a narrow bed on which a patient lies during psychiatric or psychoanalytic treatment
[n] a flat coat of paint or varnish used by artists as a primer
[n] an upholstered seat for more than one person
[v] formulate in a particular style or language; "I wouldn't put it that way"; "She cast her request in very polite language"



Webster (1913) Definition: Couch (kouch), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Couched (koucht);
p. pr. & vb. n. Couching.] [F. coucher to lay down, lie
down, OF. colchier, fr. L. collocare to lay, put, place; col-
+ locare to place, fr. locus place. See Locus.]
1. To lay upon a bed or other resting place.

Where unbruised youth, with unstuffed brain, Does
couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.
--Shak.

2. To arrange or dispose as in a bed; -- sometimes followed
by the reflexive pronoun.

The waters couch themselves as may be to the center
of this globe, in a spherical convexity. --T.
Burnet.

3. To lay or deposit in a bed or layer; to bed.

It is at this day in use at Gaza, to couch
potsherds, or vessels of earth, in their walls.
--Bacon.

4. (Paper Making) To transfer (as sheets of partly dried
pulp) from the wire cloth mold to a felt blanket, for
further drying.

5. To conceal; to include or involve darkly.

There is all this, and more, that lies naturally
couched under this allegory. --L'Estrange.

6. To arrange; to place; to inlay. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

7. To put into some form of language; to express; to phrase;
-- used with in and under.

A well-couched invective. --Milton.

I had received a letter from Flora couched in rather
cool terms. --Blackw. Mag.

8. (Med.) To treat by pushing down or displacing the opaque
lens with a needle; as, to couch a cataract.

To couch a spear or lance, to lower to the position of
attack; to place in rest.

He stooped his head, and couched his spear, And
spurred his steed to full career. --Sir W.
Scott.

To couch malt, to spread malt on a floor. --Mortimer.


Couch, v. i.
1. To lie down or recline, as on a bed or other place of
rest; to repose; to lie.

Where souls do couch on flowers, we 'll hand in
hand. --Shak.

If I court moe women, you 'll couch with moe men.
--Shak.

2. To lie down for concealment; to hide; to be concealed; to
be included or involved darkly.

We 'll couch in the castle ditch, till we see the
light of our fairies. --Shak.

The half-hidden, hallf-revealed wonders, that yet
couch beneath the words of the Scripture. --I.
Taylor.

3. To bend the body, as in reverence, pain, labor, etc.; to
stoop; to crouch. [Obs.]

An aged squire That seemed to couch under his shield
three-square. --Spenser.


Couch, n. [F. couche, OF. colche, culche, fr. colchier.
See Couch, v. t. ]
1. A bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the
United States, a lounge.

Gentle sleep . . . why liest thou with the vile In
loathsome beds, and leavest the kingly couch?
--Shak.

Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch About
him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. --Bryant.

2. Any place for repose, as the lair of a beast, etc.

3. A mass of steeped barley spread upon a floor to germinate,
in malting; or the floor occupied by the barley; as, couch
of malt.

4. (Painting & Gilding) A preliminary layer, as of color,
size, etc.

Synonyms: cast, frame, lounge, put, redact, sofa

See Also: articulate, bed, convertible, daybed, divan, divan bed, flat coat, formulate, ground, love seat, phrase, primer, primer coat, priming, priming coat, seat, settee, sofa bed, squab, tete-a-tete, undercoat, vis-a-vis, word

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