Couch \Couch\ (kouch), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Couched} (koucht); p. pr. & vb. n. {Couching}.] [F. coucher to lay down, lie down, OF. colchier, fr. L. collocare to lay, put, place; col- + locare to place, fr. locus place. See {Locus}.] 1. To lay upon a bed or other resting place.
Where unbruised youth, with unstuffed brain, Does couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign. --Shak.
2. 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. --T. Burnet.
3. 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. --Bacon.
4. (Paper Making) To transfer (as sheets of partly dried pulp) from the wire cloth mold to a felt blanket, for further drying.
5. To conceal; to include or involve darkly.
There is all this, and more, that lies naturally couched under this allegory. --L'Estrange.
6. To arrange; to place; to inlay. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
7. To put into some form of language; to express; to phrase; -- used with in and under.
A well-couched invective. --Milton.
I had received a letter from Flora couched in rather cool terms. --Blackw. Mag.
8. (Med.) To treat by pushing down or displacing the opaque lens with a needle; as, to couch a cataract.
{To couch a spear} or {To couch a lance}, to lower to the position of attack; to place in rest.
He stooped his head, and couched his spear, And spurred his steed to full career. --Sir W. Scott.
{To couch malt}, to spread malt on a floor. --Mortimer.
Couching \Couch"ing\, n. 1. (Med.) The operation of putting down or displacing the opaque lens in cataract.
2. Embroidering by laying the materials upon the surface of the foundation, instead of drawing them through.
Simply couching such statements in terms of opinion does not dispel these implications; and the statement, `In my opinion Jones is a liar,' can cause as much damage to reputation as the statement, `Jones is a liar.'"
Evenings at Penland were occupied with slide shows in which the teachers presented and discussed their work, followed by a firefly-lit walk back to the studio, then dipping and couching until the eyelids drooped.