couch

verb

\ ˈkau̇ch

couched; couching; couches

Definition of couch

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to lay (oneself) down for rest or sleep The lion couched himself by a tree.

2 : to embroider (a design) by laying down a thread and fastening it with small stitches at regular intervals

3 : to place or hold level and pointed forward ready for use Couching his lance, he seated himself firmly in his saddle …— W. Somerset Maugham

4 : to phrase or express in a specified manner The comments were couched in strong terms.

intransitive verb

1 : to lie down or recline for sleep or rest the odd way a camel couches

2 : to lie in ambush The tiger couches in the thick grass, watching its prey move closer.

couch

noun

Definition of couch (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an article of furniture for sitting or reclining

b : a couch on which a patient reclines when undergoing psychoanalysis

2 : the den of an animal (such as an otter)

on the couch

: receiving psychoanalytic treatment

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about couch

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Examples of couch in a Sentence

Verb

I'm trying to couch this delicately: I don't think we should date anymore. I couched behind the partition so as to avoid an awkward situation with my ex.

Noun

find yourself a place on the couch and make yourself at home

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The commission’s discussion was couched in what some would regard as code words and never directly addressed race or income. — Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, ProPublica, "Separated by Design: How Some of America’s Richest Towns Fight Affordable Housing," 22 May 2019 Leaders of some unregistered churches have unleashed some of the most trenchant critiques of Mr. Xi’s government, often couched in Biblical metaphor and driven by a sense of justice. — Eva Dou, WSJ, "Detained Chinese Pastor: Xi’s God-Like Status ‘Incompatible With the Christian Faith’," 10 Dec. 2018 Until recently, Trump has couched the notion of an informant inside his campaign as a hypothetical. — Eileen Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, "Trump repeats unconfirmed claims of a spy inside his campaign," 23 May 2018 There was no caveating, couching, or restraint on the part of Rick Scott and Donald Trump when the Florida Senate election headed to a recount. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "There’s election fraud in North Carolina. That’s not the same thing as voter fraud.," 11 Dec. 2018 Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Economic development is frequently a secret affair, and the secrecy is often couched as helping local government to retain a competitive advantage. — Nathan M. Jensen, WSJ, "The Amazon HQ2 Fiasco Was No Outlier," 14 Dec. 2018 That’s especially true when those choices are so often couched in ridiculous extremes and overplayed tropes. — Daniel Starkey, Ars Technica, "Assassin’s Creed Odyssey," 4 Oct. 2018 Today’s board vote, while couched as an effort to prevent such a transaction, was pure pretext. — NBC News, "CBS votes to kick out parent company National Amusements, setting up court battle," 18 May 2018 Red Letter Media, for example, uses a similar low-key, non-malicious style of ribbing movies as MST3K, all couched in a pseudo-sketch comedy routine. — Bryan Lufkin, Popular Mechanics, "Can Mystery Science Theater 3000 Thrive in an Age of Snark?," 14 Apr. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Or on more low-key days, a put-together space can encourage the family to gather 'round the table instead of chomping from the living room couch. — Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, "12 Items That'll Make You Want to Eat in Your Dining Room Again," 21 May 2019 Rowoon, on the other hand, sits down in a chair beside the couch. — Devon Abelman, Allure, "Interview: K-Pop Group SF9 Shares Their Skin-Care Secrets & Biggest Confidence Boosters," 18 Mar. 2019 The photos show vulnerability as the couples were shot in their homes (on their beds and lounging on couches), while showcasing the new Tiffany & Co. T True collection. — Michaela Bechler, Vogue, "Kendall Jenner and Friends Celebrate Tiffany’s Latest Commission and Collection," 11 Feb. 2019 The men rise from the worn couch and pull on their coats and hats. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, "Can Bad Men Change? What It’s Like Inside Sex Offender Therapy," 10 May 2018 Police are investigating an accident at a Fishers, Ind., IKEA where a child fired a gun found in a couch cushion. — Emily Price, Fortune, "Child Finds Loaded Gun in IKEA Couch and Shoots," 26 June 2018 Winnie, our beloved family puggle, could always be found sleeping in one of several places around the house: on the back of a couch, in her bed, or in my parents’ bed. — Lauren Palmer, Curbed, "When a dog is not just part of the family, but part of the house," 15 June 2018 Then, a young man’s head pops over the back of a couch where he’s been watching an action movie on the large screen. — Samantha Melamed, Philly.com, "I tried Philly's weird new golf-simulator bar, Golf & Social," 23 May 2018 Heavy ice sheets once depressed the land down into the mantle, like the seat cushions of a couch. — Sara Sneath, NOLA.com, "Sea level rise could bring daily flooding to parts of Louisiana's coast, scientists say," 24 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'couch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.