noun
couch
KOWCH
noun
1
An upholstered piece of furniture for sitting, usually seating more than one person; a sofa.
"He fell asleep on the couch watching television."
"They pushed the couch against the wall to make room for the tree."
verb
1
To phrase something in a particular, often careful or diplomatic, way.
"The feedback was couched in gentle terms so as not to upset her."
"His refusal was couched as a scheduling conflict rather than a rejection."
How to Use Couch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sofa for sitting or lying on — or, in the verb form, to word something carefully.
Common pairings
couch potato
couched in diplomatic terms
sink into the couch
Word Forms
couched past tense, couches plural, couches singular
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He fell asleep on the _____ watching television.
Etymology
From Old French couche, related to the verb coucher ("to lie down").