n (1)两个(人或物)，一对(双)(two people or things that are seen together or associated in some way but not necessarily matched or part of a pair)[C]：I won't have any more whiskies;I've had a～already. 我不再要威士忌了，我已喝了两杯。arrange the chairs in～s 把椅子两张两张地摆在一起;a～of socks/chairs/cigarettes一双袜子/一对椅子/两支烟;There were three～s dancing the tango.有三对舞伴在跳探戈。The children were walking about in～s.孩子们两人一组地在散步。

(2)夫妻(妇)(a man and a woman united together in some way，esp a husband and wife)[C]：The party was full of～s，with no single people.聚会上到处是成双成对的，没有形单影只者。an aged～一对老年夫妻;a young/newly-married～一对青年/新婚夫妻;married/courting～s 已婚/求爱的男女;the happy～那幸福的夫妻;

a couple of (infml)两个;(不多)几个：a～of men/friends/hours两(几)个男人/朋友/小时;a～of drinks两(几)杯(酒);They walked a～of miles.他们走了几英里。

→′couplet n 对句(联);

vt (1)连接(结，合)(fasten or join (two things，esp two railway carriages)together by some mechanical means)[T+n，T+n+adv(on)，T+n+adv(on)+prep(to)，T+n+adv(together)]：All the carriages/coaches have been～d together.所有的车厢都挂钩了。～two more carriages on又挂上了两节车厢;The luggage-car was～d on to the last coach.行李车挂在了最后一节车厢上。〖同〗connect，join，link，fasten;〖反〗detach，separate，disconnect，unfasten;

(2)联系在一起;加上(link or associate sb/sth with sb/sth in one's mind)[T+n+prep(with)]：His name was～d with that of a notorious criminal.他的名字和一个臭名昭著的罪犯的名字联系在一起。～Hemingway and Steinback together as being typically American writers把海明威和斯坦贝克作为典型的美国作家联系在一起;Working too hard，～d with not getting enough sleep，made him ill.由于工作过度加上睡眠不足，他病倒了。Intelligence～ed with hard work accounted for his success.他之所以成功是因为聪明又勤奋。

(3)性交((of animals)have sex together)[I+prep(with)];

→′coupling n 连接(结，合);联系;性交;

【辨异】couple与pair都可以表示两个事物。pair (双，对，副)指一起使用组成一套的两样东西，如：a pair of shoes/stockings(一双鞋/袜)，或者由两个相同部分组成的东西，如：a pair of glasses/trousers(一副眼镜/一条裤子);couple则指两个相关但没有结合在一起的东西，如：a couple of houses/people(两座房/个人);pair 强调密切结合，如：A pair of houses are joined together.(两座房子连在一起。)