a. [a. F. couchant, pr. pple. of coucher to lie, COUCH.]
1. Lying down; couching: esp. of an animal: see COUCH v. 16 b. (Often with allusion to the heraldic use.)
1496–7. [see b].
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), I. 219. This dog … lay still couchant and neuer stirred nor made at them.
1670–98. Lassels, Voy. Italy, II. 48. The tomb of this … saint with her statue in a couchant posture.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, II. xv. 400. He beheld these Savage Creatures … Couchant at His Feet.
1807. Wordsw., White Doe, I. 203. The milk-white Doe … Couchant beside that lonely mound.
1882. H. C. Merivale, Faucit of B., II. II. iii. 172. Frisco, who had been couchant regardant, contributed another low growl to the dialogue.
b. Couchant and levant: lying down and rising up; said of cattle in permanent or quasi-permanent occupation of pasture; more commonly LEVANT and couchant, q.v.
1496–7. Act 12 Hen. VII., c. 13 § 10. Where the same quycke catell ys couchant and levaunt.
2. Her. Of an animal: Represented as lying with the body resting on the legs and (according to most authors) the head lifted up, or at least not sunk in sleep (dormant).
c. 1500. Sc. Poem Heraldry, 129, in Q. Eliz. Acad., etc. 98. xv maneris of lionys in armys … the v. seand; vj mordand; vij cuchand.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. ii. 25. His crest was covered with a couchant Hownd.
1634. Peacham, Gentl. Exerc., III. 157. Couchant [is] couching or lying downe close with his head betweene his legges like a Dog.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., V. x. 248. If a Lyon were the proper coat of Judah, yet were it not probably a Lyon Rampant … but rather couchant or dormant.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), I. 467. At the foot of the stairs … are two large lions couchant of white marble.
1766. Porny, Heraldry, Gloss., Couchant … expressing the posture of any Animal that is lying on his belly, but with his head lifted up.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., x. 59. When in the attitude of taking repose, the Lion is Couchant, or Dormant.
fig. >1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., III. 193. That [Religion] which is more calme,… lesse rampant, and more couchant.
1859. Tennyson, Idylls, Guinevere, 11. Sir Modred … ever like a subtle beast, Lay couchant with his eyes upon the throne, Ready to spring.
† 3. Bending down, crouching. Obs. rare.
1706. De Foe, Jure Div., Introd. 3. A constant Bondage bows his Couchant Neck. Ibid., III. 7. Kings were the General Farmers of the Land, Mankind the Cattle … Meer Beasts of Burthen, Couchant and Supprest.
fig. 1693. Dryden, Juvenal, xi. 156 (R.). When Couchant Vice, all pale and trembling lay!
† 4. Lodging, dwelling. Obs.
1602. Withals, Dict. (1608), 77/2. The place, manor house, or Farme of husbandrie, where this Officer is couchant & abiding.
† 5. Lying hidden, lurking (lit. and fig.). Obs.
1642. Annot. Cert. Quæries, 1. Your manner of expression hath couchant a pernitious insinuation.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, I. viii. 160. The Divine Majesty, Couchant under the Weakness of a tender Infant.
