- [singular + singular or plural verb] couple (of somebody/something) two people or things
- I saw a couple of men get out.
- [singular + singular or plural verb] couple (of somebody/something) a small number of people or things
- We went there a couple of years ago.
- a couple of minutes/hours/days/weeks/months
- a couple of people/friends/guys
- I've seen her a couple of times before.
- I'll be with you in a minute. There are a couple of things I have to do first.
- We can do it in the next couple of weeks.
- There have been some new developments in the past couple of days.
- The last couple of years have been difficult.
- There are a couple more files to read first.
Extra Examples- The country's population could fall to 30 million within a couple of decades.
- I would like to make a couple of points at the outset.
- I just have a couple of questions.
- I've played a couple of games for the reserves recently.
- [countable + singular or plural verb] two people who are seen together, especially if they are married or in a romantic or sexual relationship
- married couples
- same-sex/gay/lesbian couples
- a young couple
- an elderly couple
- The royal couple will visit New Zealand next year.
- Several couples were on the dance floor.
- The couple was/were married in 2022.
- couple from… We met a couple from Chicago, who were travelling with their three children.
Collocations Marriage and divorceMarriage and divorceRomance- fall/be (madly/deeply/hopelessly) in love (with somebody)
- be/believe in/fall in love at first sight
- be/find true love/the love of your life
- suffer (from) (the pains/pangs of) unrequited love
- have/feel/show/express great/deep/genuine affection for somebody/something
- meet/marry your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
- have/go on a (blind) date
- be going out with/(especially North American English) dating a guy/girl/boy/man/woman
- move in with/live with your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner
- get/be engaged/married/divorced
- arrange/plan a wedding
- have a big wedding/a honeymoon/a happy marriage
- have/enter into an arranged marriage
- call off/cancel/postpone your wedding
- invite somebody to/go to/attend a wedding/a wedding ceremony/a wedding reception
- conduct/perform a wedding ceremony
- exchange rings/wedding vows/marriage vows
- congratulate/toast/raise a glass to the happy couple
- be/go on honeymoon (with your wife/husband)
- celebrate your first (wedding) anniversary
- be unfaithful to/(informal) cheat on your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
- have an affair (with somebody)
- break off/end an engagement/a relationship
- break up with/split up with/ (informal) dump your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner
- separate from/be separated from/leave/divorce your husband/wife/partner
- annul/dissolve a marriage
- apply for/ask for/go through/get a divorce
- get/gain/be awarded/have/lose custody of the children
- pay alimony/child support (to your ex-wife/husband/partner)
Extra ExamplesTopics Family and relationshipsa2- childless couples seeking to adopt
- We stood and drank a toast to the happy couple.
- They make a beautiful couple.
- The hotel was full of honeymoon couples.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- adorable
- attractive
- beautiful
- …
- make
- the happy couple
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French cople (noun), copler (verb), from Latin copula (noun), copulare (verb), from co- ‘together’ + apere ‘fasten’. Compare with copula and copulate.
Idioms
See couple in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee couple in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishin two shakes | in a couple of shakes
- (informal) very soon
- We’ll be there in a couple of shakes.
Check pronunciation:
couple