*coup*

n. [ Cf. F. accouplement. ] 1. The act of coupling, or the state of being coupled; union. [ R. ] Caxton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which couples, as a tie or brace. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr. contre (L. contra) + coup a blow. ] (med.) A concussion or shock produced by a blow or other injury, in a part or region opposite to that at which the blow is received, often causing rupture or disorganisation of the parts affected. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr.L. colaphus a cuff, Gr. ko`lafos. ] 1. A sudden stroke delivered with promptness and force; -- used also in various ways to convey the idea of an unexpected, clever, and successful tactic or stratagem. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. A single roll of the wheel at roulette, or a deal at rouge et noir. [ Cant ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. Among some tribes of North American Indians especially of the Great Plains, the act of striking or touching an enemy in warfare with the hand or at close quarters, as with a short stick, in such a manner as by custom to entitle the doer to count the deed an act of bravery; hence, any of various other deeds recognized by custom as acts of bravery or honor.

While the coup was primarily, and usually, a blow with something held in the hand, other acts in warfare which involved great danger to him who performed them were also reckoned coups by some tribes. G. B. Grinnell.

Among the Blackfeet the capture of a shield, bow, gun, war bonnet, war shirt, or medicine pipe was deemed a coup. G. B. Grinnell. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Coup de grace ety>[ F. ], the stroke of mercy with which an executioner ends by death the sufferings of the condemned; hence, a decisive, finishing stroke. --
Coup de main ety>[ F. ] (Mil.), a sudden and unexpected movement or attack. --
Coup de soleil ety>[ F. ] (Med.), a sunstroke. See Sunstroke. --
Coup d'état ety>[ F. ] (Politics), a sudden, decisive exercise of power whereby the existing government is subverted without the consent of the people; an unexpected measure of state, more or less violent; a stroke of policy. --
Coup d'œil [ F. ] (a) A single view; a rapid glance of the eye; a comprehensive view of a scene; as much as can be seen at one view. (b) The general effect of a picture. (c) (Mil.) The faculty or the act of comprehending at a glance the weakness or strength of a military position, of a certain arrangement of troops, the most advantageous position for a battlefield, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

. v. i. To make a coup.

Woe to the Sioux if the Northern Cheyennes get a chance to coup ! F. Remington. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ F. ] Culpable. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr. coupé, p. p. of couper to cut. See Coppice. ] 1. The front compartment of a French diligence; also, the front compartment (usually for three persons) of a car or carriage on British railways. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A four-wheeled enclosed carriage for two persons inside, with an outside seat for the driver; -- so called because giving the appearance of a larger carriage cut off. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. a two-door automobile with front seats and a luggage compartment. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ F. couper to cut. ] (Her.) Cut off smoothly, as distinguished from erased; -- used especially for the head or limb of an animal. See Erased. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. coupé, n., properly p. p. of couper to cut. Cf. Coupé, Coopee. ] A motion in dancing, when one leg is a little bent, and raised from the floor, and with the other a forward motion is made. Chambers. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., cut throat. ] (Mil.) Any position giving the enemy such advantage that the troops occupying it must either surrender or be cut to pieces. Farrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. couple, fr. L. copula a bond, band; co- + apere, aptum, to join. See Art, a., and cf. Copula. ] 1. That which joins or links two things together; a bond or tie; a coupler. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It is in some sort with friends as it is with dogs in couples; they should be of the same size and humor. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll go in couples with her. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Two of the same kind connected or considered together; a pair; a brace. “A couple of shepherds.” Sir P. Sidney. “A couple of drops” Addison. “A couple of miles.” Dickens. “A couple of weeks.” Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Adding one to one we have the complex idea of a couple. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Ziba ] met him with a couple of asses saddled. 2 Sam. xvi. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A male and female associated together; esp., a man and woman who are married or betrothed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such were our couple, man and wife. Lloyd. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fair couple linked in happy, nuptial league. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Arch.) See Couple-close. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Elec.) One of the pairs of plates of two metals which compose a voltaic battery; -- called a voltaic couple or galvanic couple. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mech.) Two rotations, movements, etc., which are equal in amount but opposite in direction, and acting along parallel lines or around parallel axes. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The effect of a couple of forces is to produce a rotation. A couple of rotations is equivalent to a motion of translation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Coupled p. pr. & vb. n. Coupling ] [ F. coupler, fr. L. copulare. See Couple, n., and cf. Copulate, Cobble, v. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To link or tie, as one thing to another; to connect or fasten together; to join. [ 1913 Webster ]

Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds, . . .
And couple Clowder with the deep-mouthed brach. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To join in wedlock; to marry. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A parson who couples all our beggars. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To come together as male and female; to copulate. [ Obs. ] Milton. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes it his business to marry beggars to each other. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Couple-closes (kŭp"'l*klō"s&ebreve_;z). 1. (Her.) A diminutive of the chevron, containing one fourth of its surface. Couple-closes are generally borne one on each side of a chevron, and the blazoning may then be either a chevron between two couple-closes or chevron cottised. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) A pair of rafters framed together with a tie fixed at their feet, or with a collar beam. [ Engl. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. joined together especially in a pair or pairs.
Syn. -- conjugate, conjugated. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. connected by a physical link, as railway cars or trailer trucks. Opposite of unconnected or unlinked
Syn. -- joined, linked. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. OF. couplement. ] Union; combination; a coupling; a pair. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And forth together rode, a goodly couplement. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who couples; that which couples, as a link, ring, or shackle, to connect cars. [ 1913 Webster ]

Coupler of an organ, a contrivance by which any two or more of the ranks of keys, or keys and pedals, are connected so as to act together when the organ is played. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. couplet, dim. of couple. See Couple, n. ] Two taken together; a pair or couple; especially two lines of verse that rhyme with each other. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sudden couplet rushes on your mind. Crabbe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of bringing or coming together; connection; sexual union. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mach.) A device or contrivance which serves to couple or connect adjacent parts or objects; as, a belt coupling, which connects the ends of a belt; a car coupling, which connects the cars in a train; a shaft coupling, which connects the ends of shafts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Box coupling,
Chain coupling. See under Box, Chain. --
Coupling box, a coupling shaped like a journal box, for clamping together the ends of two shafts, so that they may revolve together. --
Coupling pin, a pin or bolt used in coupling or joining together railroad cars, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. couper to cut, cut off. See Coppice. ] 1. (Com.) A certificate of interest due, printed at the bottom of transferable bonds (state, railroad, etc.), given for a term of years, designed to be cut off and presented for payment when the interest is due; an interest warrant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A section of a ticket, showing the holder to be entitled to some specified accomodation or service, as to a passage over a designated line of travel, a particular seat in a theater, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. a ticket or form allowing the bearer to purchase a specific quantity of rationed goods; -- such coupons are typically issued by a governmental agency. [ PJC ]

4. a printed form, often distributed as part of an advertisement, entitling the bearer to purchase a specific item of merchandise at a discount; or, a similar form which may be submitted to the issuer to obtain goods or information. Such coupons may be issued by the manufacturer (manufacturer's coupon) or by a retail establishment; in the latter case they may then be redeemed only at that particular retail store. [ PJC ]

n. [ Coup + stick. ] A stick or switch used among some American Indians in making or counting a coup. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ F., fr. couper to cut. ] (Fort.) A passage cut through the glacis to facilitate sallies by the besieged. Wilhelm. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Coupled without intermediate connections, as an engine and a dynamo.

Direct-coupled antenna (Wireless Teleg.), an antenna connected electrically with one point of a closed oscillation circuit in syntony with it and earthed. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } v. t. [ F. recouper; pref. re- re- + couper to cut. ] 1. (Law) To keep back rightfully (a part), as if by cutting off, so as to diminish a sum due; to take off (a part) from damages; to deduct; as, where a landlord recouped the rent of premises from damages awarded to the plaintiff for eviction. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To get an equivalent or compensation for; as, to recoup money lost at the gaming table; to recoup one's losses in the share market. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To reimburse; to indemnify; -- often used reflexively and in the passive. [ 1913 Webster ]

Elizabeth had lost her venture; but if she was bold, she might recoup herself at Philip's cost. Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

Industry is sometimes recouped for a small price by extensive custom. Duke of Argyll. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who recoups. Story. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of recouping. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Recoupment applies to equities growing out of the very affair from which thw principal demand arises, set-off to cross-demands which may be independent in origin. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A thermoelectric couple. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ or } (Elec.) A union of two conductors, as bars or wires of dissimilar metals joined at their extremities, for producing a thermoelectric current. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + couple. ] To loose, as dogs, from their couples; also, to set loose; to disconnect; to disjoin; as, to uncouple railroad cars. [ 1913 Webster ]