Hypertext Webster Gateway: "coupling"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Couple \Cou"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Coupled} (k?p"'ld); p.
pr. & vb. n. {Coupling} (-l?ng).] [F. coupler, fr. L.
copulare. See {Couple}, n., and cf. {Copulate}, {Cobble}, v.]
1. To link or tie, as one thing to another; to connect or
fasten together; to join.
Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds, . .
. And couple Clowder with the deep-mouthed brach.
--Shak.
2. To join in wedlock; to marry. [Colloq.]
A parson who couples all our beggars. --Swift.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Coupling \Coup"ling\ (-l?ng), n.
1. The act of bringing or coming together; connection; sexual
union.
2. (Mach.) A device or contrivance which serves to couple or
connect adjacent parts or objects; as, a belt coupling,
which connects the ends of a belt; a car coupling, which
connects the cars in a train; a shaft coupling, which
connects the ends of shafts.
{Box coupling}, {Chain coupling}. See under {Box}, Chain.
{Coupling box}, a coupling shaped like a journal box, for
clamping together the ends of two shafts, so that they may
revolve together.
{Coupling pin}, a pin or bolt used in coupling or joining
together railroad cars, etc.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
coupling
n 1: connection between two things so they move together [syn: {yoke}]
2: a mechanical device that serves to connect the ends of
adjacent objects [syn: {coupler}]
3: the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive
purposes; "the casual couplings of adolescents"; "the
mating of some species occurs only in the spring" [syn: {mating},
{pairing}, {conjugation}, {union}, {sexual union}]
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