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Two of the same kind connected or considered together; a pair; a brace. "A couple of shepherds." Sir P. Sidney. "A couple of drops" Adduson. "A couple of miles." Dickens. "A couple of weeks." Carlyle. Adding one to one we have the complex idea of a couple. Locke. [Ziba] met him with a couple of asses saddled. 2 Sam. xv…

Motion, considered as to its general or resultant direction or to its goal; line progress or advance. A light by which the Argive squadron steers Their silent course to Ilium's well known shore. Dennham. Westward the course of empire takes its way. Berkeley.

An undertaking, on sufficient consideration, in writing and under seal, to do or to refrain from some act or thing; a contract; a stipulation; also, the document or writing containing the terms of agreement.

Under cover, authority or protection; as, a feme covert, a married woman who is considered as being under the protection and control of her husband. Covert way, (Fort.) See Covered way, under Covered.

The condition of a woman during marriage, because she is considered under the cover, influence, power, and protection of her husband, and therefore called a feme covert, or femme couverte.

tal device of the general shape of a cross; hence, such an ornament, even when varying considerably from that form; thus, the Cross of the British Order of St. George and St. Michael consist of a central medallion with seven arms radiating from it.

nus Ranunculus, of many species; some are common weeds, others are flowering plants of considerable beauty.

Not reduced to order or form;unfinished; not arranged or prepared; ill-considered; immature. "Crudeprojects." Macualay. Crude, undigested masses of suggestion, furnishing rather raw materials for composition. De Quincey. The originals of Nature in their crude Conception. Milton.

three times as a factor; as, 4x4=16, and 16x4=64, the cube of 4. Cube ore (Min.), pharmacosiderite. It commonly crystallizes in cubes of a green color. -- Cube root. (Math.), the number or quantity which, multiplied into itself, and then into the product, produces the given cube; thus, 3 is the cube root of 27, for 3x…

oval fruit separates from the footstalk when ripe and expels its seeds and juice with considerable force through the opening thus made. See Elaterium. -- Star cucumber,a climbing weed (Sicyos angulatus) with prickly fruit.

ointless sword carried before English monarchs at their coronation, and emblematically considered as the sword of mercy; -- also called the sword of Edward the Confessor.

Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent; usage. See Usage, and Prescription.

t at last the character of a good customer; by this means he gets credit for something considerable, and then never pays for it. Goldsmith.

To depress; to check; to make dull; to lessen. In a way that considerably dampened our enthusiasm. The Century.

dancers, beams of the northern lights when they rise and fall alternately without any considerable change of length. See Aurora borealis, under Aurora.

its of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a solar day; if it is a star, a sidereal day; if it is the moon, a lunar day. See Civil day, Sidereal day, below.

To contend in words; to dispute; hence, to deliberate; to consider; to discuss or examine different arguments in the mind; -- often followed by on or upon. He presents that great soul debating upon the subject of life and death with his intimate friends. Tatler.

To destroy a considerable part of; as, to decimate an army in battle; to decimate a people by disease.

face; inclination downward; slope; -- opposed to acclivity, or ascent; the same slope, considered as descending, being a declivity, which, considered as ascending, is an acclivity.

To esteem worthy; to consider worth notice; -- opposed to disdain. [Obs.] I fear my Julia would not deign my lines. Shak.