Definitions for: Pair


[n] a poker hand with 2 cards of the same value
[n] two people considered as a unit
[n] a set of two similar things considered as a unit
[n] two items of the same kind
[v] bring two objects, ideas, or people together; "This fact is coupled to the other one"; "Matchmaker, can you match my daughter with a nice young man?"; "The student was paired with a partner for collaboration on the project"
[v] make love; "Birds mate in the Spring"
[v] arrange in pairs; "Pair these numbers"
[v] occur in pairs
[v] form a pair or pairs; "The two old friends paired off"



Webster (1913) Definition: Pair, n. [F. paire, LL. paria, L. paria, pl. of par pair,
fr. par, adj., equal. Cf. Apparel, Par equality, Peer
an equal.]
1. A number of things resembling one another, or belonging
together; a set; as, a pair or flight of stairs. ``A pair
of beads.'' --Chaucer. --Beau. & Fl. ``Four pair of
stairs.'' --Macaulay.

Note: [Now mostly or quite disused, except as to stairs.]

Two crowns in my pocket, two pair of cards.
--Beau. & Fl.

2. Two things of a kind, similar in form, suited to each
other, and intended to be used together; as, a pair of
gloves or stockings; a pair of shoes.

3. Two of a sort; a span; a yoke; a couple; a brace; as, a
pair of horses; a pair of oxen.

4. A married couple; a man and wife. ``A happy pair.''
--Dryden. ``The hapless pair.'' --Milton.

5. A single thing, composed of two pieces fitted to each
other and used together; as, a pair of scissors; a pair of
tongs; a pair of bellows.

6. Two members of opposite parties or opinion, as in a
parliamentary body, who mutually agree not to vote on a
given question, or on issues of a party nature during a
specified time; as, there were two pairs on the final
vote. [Parliamentary Cant]

7. (Kinematics) In a mechanism, two elements, or bodies,
which are so applied to each other as to mutually
constrain relative motion.

Note: Pairs are named in accordance with the kind of motion
they permit; thus, a journal and its bearing form a
turning pair, a cylinder and its piston a sliding pair,
a screw and its nut a twisting pair, etc. Any pair in
which the constraining contact is along lines or at
points only (as a cam and roller acting together), is
designated a higher pair; any pair having constraining
surfaces which fit each other (as a cylindrical pin and
eye, a screw and its nut, etc.), is called a lower
pair.

Pair royal (pl. Pairs Royal) three things of a sort; --
used especially of playing cards in some games, as
cribbage; as three kings, three ``eight spots'' etc. Four
of a kind are called a double pair royal. ``Something in
his face gave me as much pleasure as a pair royal of
naturals in my own hand.'' --Goldsmith. ``That great pair
royal of adamantine sisters [the Fates].'' --Quarles.
[Written corruptly parial and prial.]

Syn: Pair, Flight, Set.

Usage: Originally, pair was not confined to two things, but
was applied to any number of equal things (pares),
that go together. Ben Jonson speaks of a pair (set) of
chessmen; also, he and Lord Bacon speak of a pair
(pack) of cards. A ``pair of stairs'' is still in
popular use, as well as the later expression, ``flight
of stairs.''


Pair, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Paired; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pairing.]
1. To be joined in paris; to couple; to mate, as for
breeding.

2. To suit; to fit, as a counterpart.

My heart was made to fit and pair with thine.
--Rowe.

3. Same as To pair off. See phrase below.

To pair off, to separate from a company in pairs or
couples; specif. (Parliamentary Cant), to agree with one
of the opposite party or opinion to abstain from voting on
specified questions or issues. See Pair, n., 6.


Pair, v. t.
1. To unite in couples; to form a pair of; to bring together,
as things which belong together, or which complement, or
are adapted to one another.

Glossy jet is paired with shining white. --Pope.

2. To engage (one's self) with another of opposite opinions
not to vote on a particular question or class of
questions. [Parliamentary Cant]

Paired fins. (Zo["o]l.) See under Fin.


Pair, v. t. [See Impair.]
To impair. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Synonyms: brace, brace, copulate, couple, couple, couple, couplet, distich, doubleton, duad, duet, duo, dyad, geminate, match, mate, pair off, partner off, span, twain, twin, twosome, yoke

See Also: 2, arrange, assemblage, bang, be intimate, bed, bonk, breed, bring together, bugger, conjoin, couple, cover, deflower, deuce, do it, duet, duo, eff, fuck, gathering, get it on, get laid, have a go at it, have intercourse, have it away, have it off, have sex, hump, II, jazz, join, know, lie with, love, make love, make out, mismatch, mismate, mount, nick, occur, poker hand, ride, ruin, screw, serve, service, set, set up, sleep with, sodomise, sodomize, tread, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, two, twosome, unify, unite

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