pair

¹pair

noun \ˈper\

plural pairs or pair

Definition of PAIR

1

a (1) : two corresponding things designed for use together <a pair of shoes> (2) : two corresponding bodily parts or members <a pair of hands>

b : something made up of two corresponding pieces <a pair of trousers>

2

a : two similar or associated things: as (1) : two mated animals (2) : a couple in love, engaged, or married <were a devoted pair> (3) : two playing cards of the same value or denomination and especially of the same rank (4) : two horses harnessed side by side (5) : two members of a deliberative body that agree not to vote on a specific issue during a time agreed on; also : an agreement not to vote made by the two members

b : a partnership especially of two players in a contest against another partnership

3

chiefly dialect : a set or series of small objects (as beads)

Examples of PAIR

1. He blushed when he saw all three pairs of eyes watching him.
2. She won with a pair of aces.
3. I got my first pair of glasses when I was eight.
4. His two closest friends lived in the city and the pair of them visited him often.
5. The dance is usually performed by a male and female pair.
6. Those two kids make quite a pair.

Origin of PAIR

Middle English paire, from Anglo-French, from Latin paria equal things, from neuter plural of par equal

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PAIR

Synonyms

brace, couple, couplet, duo, dyad, twain, twosome

Related Words

span, yoke; partnership, team; companion, complement, doublet, fellow, half, match, mate, twin; coordinate, counterpart, equal, equivalent, like, parallel, peer, rival

Rhymes with PAIR

air, Ayr, bare, bear, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, dare, Dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pare, pear, prayer, rare, rear, scare, share, snare, spare, square, stair, stare, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, wear, weir, where, yare

²pair

verb

Definition of PAIR

transitive verb

1

a : to make a pair of —often used with off or up <paired off the animals>

b : to cause to be a member of a pair

c : to arrange a voting pair between

2

: to arrange in pairs

intransitive verb

1

: to constitute a member of a pair <a sock that didn't pair>

2

a : to become associated with another —often used with off or up <paired up with an old friend>

b : to become grouped or separated into pairs —often used with off <paired off for the next dance>

Examples of PAIR

1. The teacher paired students with partners for the assignment.

First Known Use of PAIR

1606