catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  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 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.