[f. COUCH v.1 + -ING1.]
1. The action of COUCH v.1, in various senses.
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.
1575. Golding, Calvin on Ps. lviii. 10. By reason of the crabbed couching of them [words] together, there is some darknesse.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, I. 37. Deeper concauities, for the couchyng in of the heades of the bones.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., III. i. 36. These couchings, and these lowly courtesies.
1743. in Doran, Mann & Manners (1876), I. vi. 165. A Quack Oculist performed no one cure except couching.
1833. Sir C. Bell, Hand (ed. 3), 170. When surgeons perform the operation of couching.
1876. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 9), IV. 267. Malting consists of four processessteeping, couching, flooring, and kiln-drying.
2. Embroidery. Couched work: see COUCH v.1 4 b.
1882. Dict. Needlework, s.v. Couching, Ancient Church needlework was profusely decorated with Couchings.
1884. Mrs. Harrison, in Harpers Mag., Aug., 346/1. Laid-work, or couching, as seen in the grounds of old embroideries.
† 3. concr. Bedding; litter. Obs.
1727. Philip Quarll, 254. He lays the Couching which he made for the Beast, by his own Bed.
4. attrib.
1611. Bible, Ezek. xxv. 5. A couching place for flocks.
1614. Sylvester, Bethulias Rescue, III. 293. Th wofull Mother, on her Couching-Settle.
1748. trans. Vegetius Distemp. Horses, 151. You shall put in the couching Instrument between the Coats of the Eye.
1805. Wordsw., Prelude, XIV. 4. I left Bethgelerts huts at couching-time.
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.