[f. COUCH v.1 + -ING1.]

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  1.  The action of COUCH v.1, in various senses.

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c. 1391.  Chaucer, Astrol., ii. § 29. Thanne wol the … lyne merydional of thyn astrolabie lye evene sowth … so that thow werke softly and avisely in the cowchyng.

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1575.  Golding, Calvin on Ps. lviii. 10. By reason of the crabbed couching of them [words] together, there is some darknesse.

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1578.  Banister, Hist. Man, I. 37. Deeper concauities, for the couchyng in of the … heades of the bones.

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1601.  Shaks., Jul. C., III. i. 36. These couchings, and these lowly courtesies.

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1743.  in Doran, ‘Mann’ & Manners (1876), I. vi. 165. A Quack Oculist … performed no one cure except couching.

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1833.  Sir C. Bell, Hand (ed. 3), 170. When surgeons perform the operation of couching.

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1876.  Encycl. Brit. (ed. 9), IV. 267. Malting consists of four processes—steeping, couching, flooring, and kiln-drying.

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  2.  Embroidery. Couched work: see COUCH v.1 4 b.

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1882.  Dict. Needlework, s.v. Couching, Ancient Church needlework was profusely decorated with Couchings.

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1884.  Mrs. Harrison, in Harper’s Mag., Aug., 346/1. ‘Laid-work,’ or ‘couching,’ as seen in the grounds of … old embroideries.

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  † 3.  concr. Bedding; litter. Obs.

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1727.  Philip Quarll, 254. He lays the Couching which he made for the Beast, by his own Bed.

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  4.  attrib.

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1611.  Bible, Ezek. xxv. 5. A couching place for flocks.

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1614.  Sylvester, Bethulia’s Rescue, III. 293. Th’ wofull Mother, on her Couching-Settle.

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1748.  trans. Vegetius’ Distemp. Horses, 151. You shall put in the couching Instrument … between the Coats of the Eye.

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1805.  Wordsw., Prelude, XIV. 4. I left Bethgelert’s huts at couching-time.

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1875.  Ure, Dict. Arts, III. 490. (Paper Manuf.) The two rollers following the dandy … are termed couching-rollers, from their performing a similar operation … to the business of the coucher…. They are simply wooden rollers covered with felt.

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