Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Couch?

\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.