Part 592

3. To bend the body, as in reverence, pain, labor, etc.; to stoop; to crouch. [Obs.]

An aged squire That seemed to couch under his shield three-square. Spenser.

Couch, n. [F. couche, OF. colche, culche, fr. colchier. See Couch, v. t. ] 1. A bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the United States, a lounge.

Gentle sleep . . . why liest thou with the vile In loathsome beds, and leavest the kingly couch? Shak.

Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. Bryant.

2. Any place for repose, as the lair of a beast, etc.

3. A mass of steeped barley spread upon a floor to germinate, in malting; or the floor occupied by the barley; as, couch of malt.

4. (Painting & Gilding) A preliminary layer, as of color, size, etc.

Couch"an*cy (kouch"an-s?), n. State of lying down for repose. [R.]

Couch"ant (kouch"ant), a. [F., p. pr. of coucher. See Couch, v. t.] 1. Lying down with head erect; squatting.

2. (Her.) Lying down with the head raised, which distinguishes the posture of couchant from that of dormant, or sleeping; -- said of a lion or other beast.

Couchant and levant (Law), rising up and lying down; -- said of beasts, and indicating that they have been long enough on land, not belonging to their owner, to lie down and rise up to feed, -- such time being held to include a day and night at the least. Blackstone.

||Cou`chÚ" (k??`sh?"), a. [F., p. p. of coucher. See Couch, v. t. ] (Her.) (a) Not erect; inclined; -- said of anything that is usually erect, as an escutcheon. (b) Lying on its side; thus, a chevron couchÚ is one which emerges from one side of the escutcheon and has its apex on the opposite side, or at the fess point.

Couched (koucht), a. (Her.) Same as Couch&?;.

Cou"chee (k??"sh?; F. k??"sh?"), n. [F. couch&?;e a sleeping place from coucher. See Couch, v. t. ] A reception held at the time of going to bed, as by a sovereign or great prince. [Obs.] Dryden. The duke's levees and couchees were so crowded that the antechambers were full. Bp. Burnet.

Couch"er (kouch"?r), n. 1. One who couches.

2. (Paper Manuf.) One who couches paper.

3. [Cf. L. collectarius.] (O. Eng. Law) (a) A factor or agent resident in a country for traffic. Blount. (b) The book in which a corporation or other body registers its particular acts. [Obs.] Cowell.

Couch" grass` (gr?s`). (Bot.) See Quitch grass.

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.

Couch"less (kouch"l?s), a. Having no couch or bed.

Cou"dee (k??"d?; F. k??`d?"), n. [F. coud&?;e, from coude elbow.] A measure of length; the distance from the elbow to the end of the middle finger; a cubit.

Cou"gar (k??"g?r), n. [F. couguar, from the native name in the South American dialects, cuguacuara, cuguacuarana.] (Zo÷l.) An American feline quadruped (Felis concolor), resembling the African panther in size and habits. Its color is tawny, without spots; hence writers often called it the American lion. Called also puma, panther, mountain lion, and catamount. See Puma.

Cough (k?f), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Coughed (k?ft); p. pr. & vb. n. Coughing.] [Cf. D. kuchen, MHG. k&?;chen to breathe, G. keuchen to pant, and E. chincough, the first part of which is prob. akin to cough; cf. also E. choke.] To expel air, or obstructing or irritating matter, from the lungs or air passages, in a noisy and violent manner.

Cough, v. t. 1. To expel from the lungs or air passages by coughing; -- followed by up; as, to cough up phlegm.

2. To bring to a specified state by coughing; as, he coughed himself hoarse.

To cough down, to silence or put down (an objectionable speaker) by simulated coughing.