Couch — Defs

01 v. t. To lay upon a bed or other resting place.

imp. & p. p. Couched; p. pr. & vb. n. Couching

1.
To lay upon a bed or other resting place.
“Where unbruised youth, with unstuffed brain, Does couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.” — Shak.
2.
To arrange or dispose as in a bed; -- sometimes followed by the reflexive pronoun.
“The waters couch themselves as may be to the center of this globe, in a spherical convexity.” — T. Burnet.
3.
To lay or deposit in a bed or layer; to bed.
“It is at this day in use at Gaza, to couch potsherds, or vessels of earth, in their walls.” — Bacon.
4.
To transfer (as sheets of partly dried pulp) from the wire cloth mold to a felt blanket, for further drying.(Paper Making)
5.
To conceal; to include or involve darkly.
“There is all this, and more, that lies naturally couched under this allegory.” — L'Estrange.
6.
To arrange; to place; to inlay.[Obs.]
7.
To put into some form of language; to express; to phrase; -- used with in and under.
“A well-couched invective.” — Milton.

“I had received a letter from Flora couched in rather cool terms.” — Blackw. Mag.
8.
To treat by pushing down or displacing the opaque lens with a needle; as, to couch a cataract.(Med.)
“He stooped his head, and couched his spear, And spurred his steed to full career.” — Sir W. Scott.

Phrases & compounds

To couch a spear — to lower to the position of attack; to place in rest.

To couch malt — to spread malt on a floor.

02 v. i. To lie down or recline, as on a bed or other place of rest; to repose; to lie.

1.
To lie down or recline, as on a bed or other place of rest; to repose; to lie.
“Where souls do couch on flowers, we 'll hand in hand.” — Shak.

“If I court moe women, you 'll couch with moe men.” — Shak.
2.
To lie down for concealment; to hide; to be concealed; to be included or involved darkly.
“We 'll couch in the castle ditch, till we see the light of our fairies.” — Shak.

“The half-hidden, hallf-revealed wonders, that yet couch beneath the words of the Scripture.” — I. Taylor.
3.
To bend the body, as in reverence, pain, labor, etc.; to stoop; to crouch.[Obs.]
“An aged squire That seemed to couch under his shield three-square.” — Spenser.

03 n. A bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the United States, a lounge.

1.
A bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the United States, a lounge.
“Gentle sleep . . . why liest thou with the vile In loathsome beds, and leavest the kingly couch?” — Shak.

“Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.” — Bryant.
2.
Any place for repose, as the lair of a beast, etc.
3.
A mass of steeped barley spread upon a floor to germinate, in malting; or the floor occupied by the barley; as, couch of malt.
4.
A preliminary layer, as of color, size, etc.(Painting & Gilding)

04 a. Not erect; inclined; -- said of anything that is usually erect, as an escutcheon.

1.
Not erect; inclined; -- said of anything that is usually erect, as an escutcheon.(Her.)