couple
/ˈkʌpl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌpl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkə-pəl "couple of" is often ˌkə-plə(v)/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkʌp.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌp.əl/ (ame, ipa)
couple — noun
- couplesingular
- couplesplural
1. around two or three things or people that belong together in some way.
around two or three things or people that belong together in some way.
Megan borrowed a couple of novels from the library to read over the weekend.
a couple of + plural noun (novels)
Karim spent a couple of weeks in Ho Chi Minh City learning Vietnamese.
a couple of + time period (weeks)
Padma added a couple more chairs to the table before the guests arrived.
Lin spotted a couple of spelling errors in her essay and fixed them before class.
Quinn invited a couple of old friends to the housewarming party last Saturday.
- many
a large number, the opposite of a small indefinite amount
文法句型
a couple of + plural noun
a couple + of + us/them
用法筆記
When used in positive statements, 'a couple of' usually means two or three. In casual speech, some speakers treat it as roughly equivalent to 'a few'. The 'of' is often dropped before certain words like 'more' ('a couple more minutes') but is standard before other nouns.
常見錯誤
2. a pair joined through marriage, romance, or a common objective.
a pair joined through marriage, romance, or a common objective.
A young couple sat holding hands on the bench near the fountain.
noun phrase: young couple
Rodrigo and Élise are a married couple who run a small bakery together.
married couple + relative clause
The elderly couple next door have lived in that house for forty years.
Every dance competition features a talented couple performing the tango.
Joon and Megan have been a couple since they met in art school.
- individual
a single person, the opposite of two people together
文法句型
couple + singular/plural verb
a couple + of + noun
用法筆記
In British English, 'couple' can take a singular or plural verb (e.g., 'the couple is / are expecting a baby'). Plural verb emphasises the individuals; singular verb emphasises the unit. In American English, singular verb is preferred.
常見錯誤
❌ 'The couple are happy.' (written without context where AmE singular expected) — In AmE, use 'The couple is happy' when referring to them as a single unit. In BrE, both are acceptable.
couple — verb
- couplepresent simple I / you / we / they
- couples3rd person singular
- coupling-ing form
- coupledpast simple
1. to connect, combine, or link two things — such as objects, ideas, systems, or qu
to connect, combine, or link two things — such as objects, ideas, systems, or qualities — so that they work together or are considered together.
High unemployment coupled with rising prices created serious hardship for many families.
be coupled with — passive for linking two factors
The recipe couples fresh basil with ripe tomatoes to make a simple pasta sauce.
couple + noun + with + noun — active voice for combining ingredients
The wooden table, coupled with a set of matching chairs, created a warm dining area.
Diego coupled the garden hose to the outdoor tap and turned on the water.
Liang coupled the portable speaker to his laptop so everyone could hear the presentation.
文法句型
couple + noun + with + noun
be coupled with + noun
用法筆記
By far the most common form in everyday use is the passive participle 'coupled with', meaning 'combined with' or 'together with'. The active transitive form ('couple A with B') is more formal or technical. The intransitive form ('A and B couple') is rare in modern English outside technical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. to engage in sexual union with a partner — used primarily in formal, scientific,
to engage in sexual union with a partner — used primarily in formal, scientific, or technical writing about animals and sometimes humans.
The researchers observed the birds coupling in the early spring mornings.
animals — birds coupling during mating season
Salmon swim far upstream before coupling in the gravel beds where they were born.
salmon — migration before coupling
The documentary showed how sea turtles couple in the warm coastal waters at night.
Zoologists recorded the frequency with which the captive pandas coupled during breeding season.
文法句型
two + noun + couple
noun + and + noun + couple
用法筆記
In everyday conversation about humans, 'couple' in this sense sounds overly clinical or old-fashioned. For animals, 'mate' is far more common than 'couple'. Use 'have sex', 'sleep together', or 'make love' for humans in neutral or informal contexts.
常見錯誤
couple — adjective
- couplepositive
- couplercomparative
- couplestsuperlative
1. referring to roughly two things when placed before a noun in informal American E
referring to roughly two things when placed before a noun in informal American English, without the word 'of'.
Mauricio ordered a couple beers while waiting for his friend to arrive.
a couple + noun (beers) — AmE informal, no 'of'
Hoa bought a couple tickets for the concert before they sold out.
Zola read a couple chapters of the novel before falling asleep on the sofa.
Quinn packed a couple sandwiches for the long hike through the forest.
Rin grabbed a couple chairs from the kitchen so everyone would have a seat.
- a couple of
the standard form in both BrE and AmE, including 'of' before the noun
- two
exact and unambiguous; 'a couple' is more casual and approximate
文法句型
a couple + noun (without 'of')
用法筆記
This attributive use ('a couple [noun]' without 'of') is considered informal and is most common in American English. In formal writing or in British English, 'a couple of [noun]' is the standard form. Do not use this in academic essays or professional correspondence. The noun after 'couple' must be countable and plural.
常見錯誤
❌ 'She bought a couple of drinks.' (marked as 'wrong' — actually correct in BrE and formal AmE) — This is standard English. The attributive 'a couple drinks' is just one informal variant, not a replacement.