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It is not only important, but, in a degree necessary, that the people of this country, should have an American Dictionary of the English language; for, although the body of the language is the same as in England, and it is desirable to perpetuate that sameness, yet some differences must exist. Language is the expression of ideas; and if the people of one country cannot preserve an identity of ideas, they cannot retain an identity of language. |
COUCH, v.i.
COUCH, v.t.
COUCH, n.
To lay upon a bed or other resting
place.
Where unbruised youth, with unstuffed brain, 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. 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. To transfer (as
sheets of partly dried pulp) from the wire cloth mold to a felt
blanket, for further drying.
To conceal; to include or involve
darkly.
There is all this, and more, that lies naturally
couched under this allegory. To arrange; to place; to inlay.
[Obs.] Chaucer. To put into some form of language; to
express; to phrase; -- used with in and
under.
A well-couched invective. I had received a letter from Flora couched
in rather cool terms. To treat by pushing down
or displacing the opaque lens with a needle; as, to couch
a cataract.
To couch a spear or lance, to lower to the position of attack; to place in rest. He stooped his head, and couched his
spear, To couch malt, to spread malt on a floor. Mortimer. 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. If I court moe women, you 'll couch with
moe men. 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. The half-hidden, hallf-revealed wonders, that yet
couch beneath the words of the Scripture. To bend the body, as in reverence,
pain, labor, etc.; to stoop; to crouch.
[Obs.]
An aged squire A
bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the United
States, a lounge.
Gentle sleep . . . why liest thou with the
vile Like one that wraps the drapery of his
couch Any place for repose, as the lair of a
beast, etc.
A mass of steeped barley spread upon a
floor to germinate, in malting; or the floor occupied by the
barley; as, couch of malt.
A
preliminary layer, as of color, size, etc.
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