couple

noun

/ˈkʌpl/

In British English a plural verb is usually used in all 3 senses.Idioms

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[singular + singular or plural verb] couple (of somebody/something) two people or things
- I saw a couple of men get out.
[singular + singular or plural verb] couple (of somebody/something) a small number of people or things
- We went there a couple of years ago.
- a couple of minutes/hours/days/weeks/months
- a couple of people/friends/guys
- I've seen her a couple of times before.
- I'll be with you in a minute. There are a couple of things I have to do first.
- We can do it in the next couple of weeks.
- The have been some new developments in the past couple of days.
- The last couple of years have been difficult.
- There are a couple more files to read first.
Extra Examples
- The country's population could fall to 30 million within a couple of decades.
- I would like to make a couple of points at the outset.
- I just have a couple of questions.
- I've played a couple of games for the reserves recently.
[countable + singular or plural verb] two people who are seen together, especially if they are married or in a romantic or sexual relationship
- married couples
- same-sex/gay/lesbian couples
- a young couple
- an elderly couple
- The royal couple will visit New Zealand next year.
- Several couples were on the dance floor.
- The couple was/were married in 2016.
- couple from… We met a couple from Chicago, who were travelling with their three children.
see also happy couple, power couple
Collocations Marriage and divorce
Marriage and divorceRomance
- fall/be (madly/deeply/hopelessly) in love (with somebody)
- be/believe in/fall in love at first sight
- be/find true love/the love of your life
- suffer (from) (the pains/pangs of) unrequited love
- have/feel/show/express great/deep/genuine affection for somebody/something
- meet/marry your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
- have/go on a (blind) date
- be going out with/(especially North American English) dating a guy/girl/boy/man/woman
- move in with/live with your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner
Weddings
- get/be engaged/married/divorced
- arrange/plan a wedding
- have a big wedding/a honeymoon/a happy marriage
- have/enter into an arranged marriage
- call off/cancel/postpone your wedding
- invite somebody to/go to/attend a wedding/a wedding ceremony/a wedding reception
- conduct/perform a wedding ceremony
- exchange rings/wedding vows/marriage vows
- congratulate/toast/raise a glass to the happy couple
- be/go on honeymoon (with your wife/husband)
- celebrate your first (wedding) anniversary
Separation and divorce
- be unfaithful to/(informal) cheat on your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
- have an affair (with somebody)
- break off/end an engagement/a relationship
- break up with/split up with/ (informal) dump your boyfriend/girlfriend
- separate from/be separated from/leave/divorce your husband/wife
- annul/dissolve a marriage
- apply for/ask for/go through/get a divorce
- get/gain/be awarded/have/lose custody of the children
- pay alimony/child support (to your ex-wife/husband)
Extra Examples
- childless couples seeking to adopt
- We stood and drank a toast to the happy couple.
- They make a beautiful couple.
- The hotel was full of honeymoon couples.
Topics Family and relationshipsa2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- adorable
- attractive
- beautiful
- …
verb + couple
- make
phrases
- the happy couple
See full entry

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French cople (noun), copler (verb), from Latin copula (noun), copulare (verb), from co- ‘together’ + apere ‘fasten’. Compare with copula and copulate.

Idioms

in two shakes | in a couple of shakes

(informal) very soon
- We’ll be there in a couple of shakes.

couple

verb

/ˈkʌpl/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they couple	/ˈkʌpl/ /ˈkʌpl/
he / she / it couples	/ˈkʌplz/ /ˈkʌplz/
past simple coupled	/ˈkʌpld/ /ˈkʌpld/
past participle coupled	/ˈkʌpld/ /ˈkʌpld/
-ing form coupling	/ˈkʌplɪŋ/ /ˈkʌplɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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[transitive, usually passive] to join together two parts of something, for example two vehicles or pieces of equipment
- be coupled together The two railway trucks had been coupled together.
- be coupled to something This energy is converted into electrical energy by the generator that is coupled to the turbine.
[intransitive] (formal) (of two people or animals) to have sex

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French cople (noun), copler (verb), from Latin copula (noun), copulare (verb), from co- ‘together’ + apere ‘fasten’. Compare with copula and copulate.