verbal phr. (old).—To lie down and sleep. [COUCH, to lie down, was in common use in Shakespeare’s time (Merry Wives of Windsor, v. 2). HOGSHEAD = the head.]—See, however, quot., 1610, and for synonyms, see BALMY.
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors (1814), p. 66. TO COUCH A HOGSHEAD: to ly downe and slepe. Ibid. I COUCHED A HOGSHEAD in a skypper this darkemans.
1610. ROWLANDS, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 [Hunterian Club’s Reprint, 1874]. COWCH A HOGSHEAD: to lie doune and sleepe; this phrase is like an Alminacke that is out of date: now the duch word to slope is with them vsed, to sleepe, and liggen, to lie downe.
1671. R. HEAD, The English Rogue, pt. I., ch. iv., p. 37 (1874). The fumes of drink had now ascended into their brain, wherefore they COUCHT A HOGS-HEAD, and went to sleep.
1706. E. COLES, English Dictionary, s.v.
1818. SCOTT, The Heart of Mid-lothian, ch. xxx. ‘We’ll COUCH A HOGSHEAD, and so better had you. They retired to repose accordingly.
