Forms: 4–5 cowche, 4–6 couche, 6–7 cowch, coutch(e, (4 kouch, chouche, 4–5 kowch, 5 couce, 6 chouch, chowch), 6– couch. [a. F. coucher (12th c.), earlier colcher, culcher = Pr. colcar, It. colcare:—L. collocāre to lay in its place, lay aright, lodge, etc., f. com- together, intensive + locāre to place.]
* Transitive uses.
In the active voice Obs. in ordinary use, except in a few technical senses, as 4 b, 5, 6, 9; 7, 8, 15, are literary. In some other senses the pa. pple. survives in archaic, poetic or literary use.
I. To lay down flat, and related senses.
† 1. trans. To cause to lie down, to lay down (a person, oneself, one’s head, etc.); to lay to sleep, put to bed; refl. to lie down. Obs. (exc. as in b.)
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 92. If he may couche adown his bill.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xii. Thus am I cachet to care, and couchet in clay.
c. 1550. Adam Bel, 76, in Hazl., E. P. P., II. 142. Home she wente, And couched her downe agayne.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits, xiv. (1506), 256. They couched a verie faire lady by his side.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., III. ii. F 1. Thou look’st sunk-ey’d; go couch thy head.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 14. Caused her to bee brought to the Palace … and couch’d her in a withdrawing chamber neere her owne.
1685. F. Spence, House of Medici, 430. He fell into a drooping, which couch’d him in his Grave.
b. Now only in pa. pple. = Laid or lying on, or as on, a couch.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 24. Coucht in a meddow Theyre panch with venison they franck and quaffye carousing.
1820. Keats, Ode to Psyche, 9. Two fair creatures [Cupid and Psyche], couched side by side In deepest grass.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxvii. The driver was couched upon the ground beneath.
1878. Masque Poets, 25. Cleopatra, couched at feast.
c. Said of animals; almost always refl. or pass. arch.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2240. Þat witty werwolf … kouchid him under a kragge.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, lvi. 493. The ton lyown Cowched him at his feet and the tothir atte the hed.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., II. 722. The Hind … Then couched her self securely by her side. Ibid. (1697), Virg. Georg., III. 706. Thou seest a single Sheep … couch’d upon the Plain.
1879. Butcher & Lang, Odyss., 58. As when a hind hath couched her newborn fawns … in a strong lion’s lair.
d. fig.
1539. Taverner, Erasm. Prov. (1552), 4. Moue not an euyll that is well layed. An incommoditie wel couched is not to be sturred.
1833. Wordsw., By the Seaside, Wks. (1888), 710/2. The sun is couched, the sea fowl gone to rest.
† e. To couch a hog’s head (also a cod’s head): to lie down to sleep. Obs. slang.
c. 1515. Cocke Lorell’s B. (Percy Soc.), 12. Some couched a hogges heed under a hatche.
1570. Marr. Wit & Sc., IV. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, II. 365. I have more need to take a nap in my bed. Will. [aside] Do so, and, hear you, couch a cod’s-head!
1641. Brome, Joviall Crew, II. Wks. 1873, III. 392. Couch a Hogs-head, till the dark-man’s past.
1673. R. Head, Canting Acad., 19. Couch a hogshead with me than.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxx. ‘We’ll couch a hogshead, and so better had you.’
† f. To track (a boar) to its lair. Obs.
1674. N. Cox, Gentl. Recreat., 5. To couch and rear a Boar.
† 2. To cause to crouch or lie close; in pa. pple. prostrated, crouching, lying close; cf. sense 17.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 507. Hee shakes aloft his Romaine blade, Which like a Faulcon towring in the skies, Cowcheth the fowle below with his wings shade.
1613. Hayward, Norm. Kings, in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793), 18. Their ancient laws … were dashed to dust; all lay couched under the conqueror’s sword.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XXII. 402. Trembling with dismay, Couched close to earth, unhappy Medon lay.
† 3. To lay (things); to place, set, put down; to dispose horizontally or in layers. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 2075. The fyr was couchid first with stree, And thanne with drye stykkes. Ibid., Miller’s T., 25. His Almageste and bookes … His Astrelabie … His Augrim stones layen … On shelues couched at his beddes heed.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6905. On folkes shuldris thinges they couchen, That they nyl with her fyngris touchen.
c. 1410. Anc. Cookery, 461. Then couche the chekyns in dishes.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xiii. 77. Lay up and couche the cleane wheate in my barne.
1575. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 98. A litell apish hat chowchd faste to ye pate like an oister.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 52 b. If they had couchte all their noddles together.
1589. Pasquil’s Ret., D ij. I couch it … with all … humilitie at her Maiesties … feete.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, I. v. 23. An vnderstorie … to couch your wines and cidres in.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 379. The bones of the dead couched vp in the Charnell-house.
1669. A. Browne, Ars Pict., 84. Smoothness of shadowes, or close and sweet couching the colours.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, 54. To couch well is to lay close and even.
† b. Building. To lay (stones, etc.) in a wall or building; to bed. Obs.
1531. Elyot, Gov., III. xix. The stones beinge not surely couched and mortred, falleth a way.
1538. Leland, Itin., II. 88. There be few Peaces of Work yn England of thantiquite of this that standith so hole and so well couchid.
c. 1570. Pride & Lowl. (1841), 32. In his hand he had a flat measure … Whereby his length and bredth he tooke … And wisely couched both his stone and brick.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 236. Wilt not thou suffer a ragged vnhewen stone to bee couched in thy wall?
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 743. The Chappell … where this spatious Grauestone lies couched.
† c. Gardening. To lay, set, bed (plants or slips) in the earth. Obs.
1574. Hyll, Planting, 84. Place or couche them [roots] in the sayde hole and earth againe.
1660. Sharrock, Vegetables, 127. Couch them in the bed where you rais’d them from seeds.
1710. London & Wise, Compl. Gard. (1719), 292–3. Florists now are busie in couching their Layers.
† d. To lay, overlay (gilding on a surface); to set (jewels in their setting). Obs.
14[?]. E. E. Misc. (Warton Club), 84. To cowche gold: take gleyre and saffrone … and cowche on thy gold whyle it is moyste.
1578. Hunnis, Hyve full Hunnye, Gen. xxiv. 22. Rych Iewels Coucht in Siluer fine.
† 4. With inverted construction: To lay, overlay, inlay, spread, set with (of). Chiefly in pa. pple.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 5652. Alle he was couched with azur.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. cxxix. (1495), 937. The way is … pauyd and cowchyd wyth harde stones.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 909. Clasppis of clere golde, couched wyth stones.
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, III. ix. (1483), 55. A table that was couchid with sulfur and with quyck coles.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1570), 169. This tombe was shining with siluer and pure golde, So gayly couched and set with precious stone.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 858/2. Two great cellars couched full of wine.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XIII. 719. His huge round target … With hides well couch’d with store of brass.
b. To embroider with gold thread or the like laid flat on the surface. Also absol.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1303. His coote armour was of a cloth of Tars, Cowched of perlys whyte.
1537. Stat. Ireland (1765), I. 121. No woman … weare any kyrtell … couched ne layd with usker after the Irish fashion.
1604. Middleton, Black Bk., Wks. 1840, V. 543. Under the plain frieze of simplicity thou mayest finely couch the wrought velvet of knavery.
1890. Art Interchange (N. Y.), 20 Dec., 216/2. Couch around the edges of Rowers and leaves. Ibid. (1891), 14 Feb., 55/1. The edge should be sewed down and couched with gold thread.
5. Malting. To lay or spread (grain after steeping) on a floor to promote germination.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 181. No bruer … Dare couch malte and water, in house togyther.
1615. Markham, Eng. Housew. (1660), 156. The Corn being steept, may … be cast from the Fat or Cestern to the floor, and there coucht.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (ed. 2), 265–6 (J.). If the weather be immoderately warm we immediately Couch it [Barly] about a Foot thick; but if … a hotter Season require it, we spread it on the Floor much thinner.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Malt, Then it must be couch’d or heap’d.
1876. [see COUCHING].
6. Paper Manuf. To lay (a sheet of pulp) upon a felt to be pressed. (Cf. COUCHER3.)
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Paper, He delivers it [the pulp] to the coucher, who couches it upon a felt laid on a plank, and lays another felt on it; and so successively.
1807. Specif. Cobb’s Patent No. 3084. The said machinery for couching is used in the manner last described.
II. To lower, bring down, put down.
7. To lower (a spear, lance, etc.) to the position of attack, grasping it in the right hand with the point directed forwards; to level as a gun.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. xi. Than they dressid her sheldes, and beganne to couche her speres many good knyghtes.
1581. Styward, Mart. Discipl., II. 110. If your battaile be assalted with horse, then couch and crosse your pikes.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., III. ii. 134. A brauer Souldier neuer couched Launce.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, III. XI. 544. With his Musket couch’d at his Cheek.
1757. Gray, Bard, I. i. To arms! cried Mortimer, and couch’d his quiv’ring lance.
1808. J. Barlow, Columb., V. 632. They … couch the long tube … dismiss the whizzing lead.
1837. Thirlwall, Greece, IV. xxxiii. 291. The phalanx advanced, with spears couched.
8. To lay or bring down, lower, depress (a member or part of the body, etc.).
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XIII. (R.). All heads coucht so close to earth they plow The fallow with their hornes.
a. 1711. Ken, Sion, Poet. Wks. 1721, IV. 419. My Guardian [Angel] couch’d his Wing.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Apple, Six or eight thorns, some erect, others couched.
1796. Hull Advertiser, 6 Feb., 4/3. She … couched her head for fear she should get the blow.
1835. Kirby, Hab. & Inst. Anim., I. vi. 212. When the longer ones [spines] are couched … the short ones may come into play.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 8. They might the more readily couch their cheeks to take aim.
9. Surg. To remove (a cataract) by inserting a needle through the coats of the eye and displacing the opaque crystalline lens below the axis of vision. Also to couch the eye or a person.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 234. To be pricked with a needle for couching of a cataract.
1634. T. Johnson, trans. Parey’s Chirurg., XVII. xxii. (1678), 385. Sometimes … the Cataract is not couched whole, but is broken into many pieces.
1710. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), VI. 620. Sir William Read this day coucht one of the eyes of sir Simon Harcourt with successe.
1764. Reid, Inquiry, vi. § 3. The young man couched by Cheselden.
1848. Mrs. Gaskell, M. Barton, xxxviii. She has been couched, and can see as well as ever.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 255. The surgeon who has couched his patient’s cataract.
b. fig. in reference to mental or spiritual vision.
1728. Young, Love Fame, II. (1757), 96. So blind are mortal men, Tho’ Satire couch them with her keenest pen.
1839. De Quincey, Recoll. Lakes, Wks. II. 135. She it was … that first couched his eye to the sense of beauty.
† 10. fig. To put down, quell, suppress, lay. Obs.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 77/2. Which broiles being couched for a time.
1671. [R. MacWard], True Non-conf., 152. That your vanity may be with some handsomeness hereafter coutched.
† 11. To bring down, lower in dignity. Obs.
1602. Fulbecke, Pandectes, 32. The state being now couched, and deuolued to the dregges of the people.
III. To place, lodge; hide; express in words.
† 12. To place in a lodging or dwelling; to lodge; pass. to be lodged or located. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), vi. 63. Þei haue none houses, but tentes … and þere benethe þei couchen hem and dwellen.
c. 1534. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden), I. 139. Hee cowched him self in an abbay.
1651. Reliq. Wotton. (1685), 291. They were couched in the College.
1690. in Kirkton, Hist. Ch. Scot., viii. (1817), 339. The Councill went on to couch the ministers in their confynements.
† 13. To lay in concealment (more or less); to hide, conceal; refl. and pass. to lie hidden, to lurk. Obs. or arch.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1217/2. There were some harquebusiers secretlie couched in couert.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, V. xvii. (1639), 310. If the quantity of humour be great, it sometime coucheth it selfe in some principall member.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. v. 123. Much of providence being couched under the seeming casualty thereof.
1792. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, April. He wears no semblance that has not a real and sympathetic substance couched beneath.
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, V. xxvii. Couch thee midway on the wold.
† 14. To set, place, put (together with others, in a list, category, etc.); to collocate, comprise, include. Obs.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par., Pref. 14. Couched together in this one weorke.
1573. Baret, Alv., To Rdr. (1580), 2. I have couched manie wordes together … in the … tables for breuitie sake.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 102. I … couched him in this Catalogue of Heretikes.
1642. Howell, For. Trav. (Arb.), 23. Hee must couch in a faire Alphabetique paper-book the notablest occurrences.
1729. Shelvocke, Artillery, v. 310. Under them are couched all Frauds, underhand Practices, &c.
15. To put together, frame, shape, arrange (words, a sentence, etc.); to express in language, put into words; to set down in writing. Now always to couch in such and such terms, words, language, etc.
1529. More, Supplic. Soulys, Wks. 290/1. It is so contriued, & the wordes so cowched, that … a simple reader might … in the reding be deadly corrupted.
1586. W. Webbe, Eng. Poetrie (Arb.), 63. In chouching the whole sentence, the like regarde is to be had.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., III. xxxiii. 205. The words wherein the question … is couched.
1702. Eng. Theophrast., 282. Flattery well couch’d.
1746. Wesley, Princ. Methodist, 5. The Argument … is best understood when couched in few words.
1755. Magens, Insurances, II. 255. All Insurances … shall be couched and executed according to the … Manner prescribed.
1830. Lytton, P. Clifford, i. All the answers he received were couched in the negative.
1876. C. M. Davies, Unorth. Lond., 99. The Swedenborgians … couching it in their own peculiar phraseology.
b. To express in an obscure or veiled way; to cover up (an idea, meaning, etc.) under, in, etc. (Formerly sometimes with up: cf. to wrap up.)
1563. Homilies, II. Fasting, I. (1859), 282. In this smooth question they couch up subtilly this argument or reason.
1589. Nashe, Greene’s Menaphon, Ded. (Arb.), 14. Which lies couched most closely vnder darke fables profounditie.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 47. The Truth it self which lay couched in this Fable.
1691. E. Taylor, trans. Behmen’s Theos. Philos., 410. The whole New Testament is couched up in the Old.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 214, ¶ 6. That great Philosopher … has couched several admirable Precepts in remote Allusions and mysterious Sentences.
1880. J. Caird, Philos. Relig., vii. 195. Materialistic metaphors under which our spiritual conceptions are couched.
** Intransitive uses (from refl.).
Now chiefly said of, or with figurative reference to, beasts.
IV. 16. To lie. a. Of persons: esp. To lie in a place or position of rest, to lie at rest or in sleep; to recline, to repose. arch.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 168. [Prestis] chouchen in softe beddis.
1567. Harman, Caveat, 32. They haue cleane strawe in some barne … where they couch comly to gether.
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., ix. 415. The souls of wicked men … become heavy and sink down … and couch as near as may be to the centre.
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, V. iv. At eve they couch’d in greenwood bower.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Fr. Wines & Pol., vi. 36. The peasantry … live under roofs of rushes and couch upon beds of straw.
1885. G. Meredith, Diana, I. i. 24. Couching in a garden, catching with one hand at fruits.
b. Of animals: now spec. to lie in their lair.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 84. The ȝonge whelp … Haþ noght his maistre betre awaited To couche, whan he seith go lowe.
1546. Supplic. Poore Commons (1871), 84. Yf they [these dombe dogges] be but ones byde cowche … they draw the tayle betwine the legges.
1549–62. Sternhold & H., Ps. civ. To couche in their dennes.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v., Wild-boar, A Boar coucheth, Lodgeth.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Life in Wilds, i. 9. The beasts would couch in our neighbourhood.
1846. Jesse, Anecd. Dogs, 270. An otter … it was supposed that he had gone to couch more inland.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. x. 106. They prefer the bare snow, where they can couch within the sound of our voices.
fig. 1545. Primer Hen. VIII., 137. The waues couched, the winds fell.
† c. Of things: To lie (in the general sense). Obs.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 29. Lat thyn Astrelabie kowch adown euene vpon a smothe grond.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, I. 24. The ribbes … endewed with Appendances … where they couche with the cauities of the Vertebres.
1611. Bible, Deut. xxxiii. 13. The deep that coucheth beneath.
1640. Sanderson, Serm., xii. (1681), II. 174. The laying of Stones together by making them Couch close one to another.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., ii. § 8 (1689), 11. So as they may twine, and couch close one within another.
17. To take or fall into a posture more or less approaching that of lying at rest. a. To lie down, crouch, cower, as a beast, in obedience, fear, etc. † b. To crouch or stoop under a burden (obs.). † c. Of persons: To bow in reverence or obeisance; to curtsy (obs.). d. fig. (from a and c) To bow in subserviency or submission; to submit, succumb.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 1150. Thou shalt make him couche as doth a quaille.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arthure, 122. The Romaynes … Cowchide as kenetez before þe kynge selvyne.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 96. I cowche to the than for fayn nere gretyng, Haylle, Lord!
1534. Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, I. (1540), 30. To stoupe for no man … nor to couche to fortune.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apophth., 305 a. He with a nauie of three hundred shippes made sixe hundred shippes of theirs couche. Ibid. (a. 1553), Royster D., I. iv. Couche on your marybones … down to the ground.
1571. Campion, Hist. Irel., II. ix. (1633), 110. A Lady of such port, that all Estates of the Realme couched unto her.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. i. 4. An aged Squire … That seemd to couch under his shield.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 43. The Asse wittily coucht down to ease himself of his waight.
1611. Bible, Gen. xlix. 14. Issachar is a stronge asse, couching downe betweene two burdens.
1650. R. Hollingworth, Exerc. conc. Usurped Powers, 46. To perswade men to couch down under Usurpation.
1821. Joanna Baillie, Metr. Leg., Columbus, xlix. Like spaniel couching to his lord.
† e. transf. Of plants: To lie or bend close to the ground. Of leaves: To droop. Obs.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 224. It coucheth and creepeth low by the ground, and is like vnto Millet.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., xli. § 7 (1689), 312. The Weeds which have couched all Winter, begin to erect their heads.
1744. W. Ellis, Mod. Husbandman, VI. ii. (1750), 82. Frosts that will cause the leaves … to look yellow and couch.
18. To lie in ambush, to lurk.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 44. Heer ar couching soom troups of Greekish asemblye.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 31. The beast … cowching close in his cabbin.
1718. Pope, Iliad, X. 210. The unwearied watch their listening leaders keep, And couching close, repel invading sleep.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, III. iv. Bertram … couches in the brake and fern, Hiding his face.
1859. Tennyson, Idylls, Guinevere, 31. Sir Launcelot passing by Spied where he couch’d.
19. Of leaves, etc.; To lie in a bed or heap for decomposition or fermentation.
1770–4. A. Hunter, Georg. Ess. (1804), II. 63. After being raked into heaps they [oak leaves] should immediately be carried to some place near the hot-houses, where they must lie to couch.
1807. R. W. Dickson, Pract. Agric., II. 260. When the heat in the process of couching has gone too far.
1851. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XII. II. 385. The leaves … are crushed … into a pulp. This is … made up into balls, and dried for several days in open sheds…. The mill grinds the hardened balls into powder, and ‘couching’ then begins; the powder being watered daily for several weeks, ferments.
