 6 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
pair
noun
1: a set of two similar things considered as a unit [syn: {brace}]
2: two items of the same kind [syn: {couple}, {twosome}, {twain},
{brace}, {span}, {yoke}, {couplet}, {distich}, {duo}, {duet},
{dyad}, {duad}]
3: two people considered as a unit
4: a poker hand with 2 cards of the same value
verb
1: form a pair or pairs; "The two old friends paired off" [syn:
{pair off}, {partner off}, {couple}]
2: bring two objects, ideas, or people together; "This fact is
coupled to the other one"; "Matchmaker, can you match my
daughter with a nice young man?"; "The student was paired
with a partner for collaboration on the project" [syn: {match},
{mate}, {couple}, {twin}]
3: occur in pairs [syn: {geminate}]
4: arrange in pairs; "Pair these numbers" [syn: {geminate}]
5: make love; "Birds mate in the Spring" [syn: {copulate}, {mate},
{couple}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Pair \Pair\ (p[^a]r), noun [F. paire, LL. paria, L. paria, pl. of
par pair, fr. par, adjective, equal. Cf. {Apparel}, {Par}
equality, {Peer} an equal.]
1. A number of things resembling one another, or belonging
together; a set; as, a pair or flight of stairs. ''A pair
of beads.'' --Chaucer. --Beau. & Fl. ''Four pair of
stairs.'' --Macaulay.
Note: [Now mostly or quite disused.]
Two crowns in my pocket, two pair of cards.
--Beau. & Fl.
2. Two things of a kind, similar in form, suited to each
other, and intended to be used together; as, a pair of
gloves or stockings; a pair of shoes.
3. Two of a sort; a span; a yoke; a couple; a brace; as, a
pair of horses; a pair of oxen.
4. A married couple; a man and wife. ''A happy pair.''
--Dryden. ''The hapless pair.'' --Milton.
5. A single thing, composed of two pieces fitted to each
other and used together; as, a pair of scissors; a pair of
pants; a pair of tongs; a pair of bellows.
6. Two members of opposite parties or opinion, as in a
parliamentary body, who mutually agree not to vote on a
given question (in order, for example, to allow the
members to be absent during the vote without affecting the
outcome of the vote), or on issues of a party nature
during a specified time; as, there were two pairs on the
final vote. [Parliamentary Cant]
Note: A member who is thus paired with one who would have
voted oppositely is said to be paired for or paired
against a measure, depending on the member's position.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
7. (Kinematics) In a mechanism, two elements, or bodies,
which are so applied to each other as to mutually
constrain relative motion.
Note: Pairs are named in accordance with the kind of motion
they permit; thus, a journal and its bearing form a
{turning pair}, a cylinder and its piston a {sliding
pair}, a screw and its nut a {twisting pair}, etc. Any
pair in which the constraining contact is along lines
or at points only (as a cam and roller acting
together), is designated a {higher pair}; any pair
having constraining surfaces which fit each other (as a
cylindrical pin and eye, a screw and its nut, etc.), is
called a {lower pair}.
{Pair royal} (pl. {Pairs Royal}) three things of a sort; --
used especially of playing cards in some games, as
cribbage; as three kings, three ''eight spots'' etc. Four
of a kind are called a double pair royal. ''Something in
his face gave me as much pleasure as a pair royal of
naturals in my own hand.'' --Goldsmith. ''That great pair
royal of adamantine sisters [the Fates].'' --Quarles.
[Written corruptly {parial} and {prial}.]
Syn: {Pair}, {Flight}, {Set}.
Usage: Originally, pair was not confined to two things, but
was applied to any number of equal things (pares),
that go together. Ben Jonson speaks of a pair (set) of
chessmen; also, he and Lord Bacon speak of a pair
(pack) of cards. A ''pair of stairs'' is still in
popular use, as well as the later expression, ''flight
of stairs.''
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Pair \Pair\, verb (used with an object) [See {Impair}.]
To impair. [Obs.] --Spenser.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Pair \Pair\, verb (used without an object) [imp. & p. p. {Paired}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Pairing}.]
1. To be joined in pairs; to couple; to mate, as for
breeding.
2. To suit; to fit, as a counterpart.
My heart was made to fit and pair with thine.
--Rowe.
3. Same as {To pair off}. See phrase below.
{To pair off}, to separate from a group in pairs or couples;
specif. (Parliamentary Cant), to agree with one of the
opposite party or opinion to abstain from voting on
specified questions or issues. See {Pair}, noun, 6.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Pair \Pair\, verb (used with an object)
1. To unite in couples; to form a pair of; to bring together,
as things which belong together, or which complement, or
are adapted to one another.
Glossy jet is paired with shining white. --Pope.
2. To engage (one's self) with another of opposite opinions
not to vote on a particular question or class of
questions. [Parliamentary Cant]
{Paired fins}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Fin}.
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
237 Moby Thesaurus words for "pair":
Gaussian integer, accouple, accumulate, ace, affiliate,
agglomerate, agglutinate, aggregate, aggroup, algebraic number,
ally, amass, articulate, assemble, associate, band, band together,
batch, be in cahoots, best bower, bond, both, bower, brace,
bracket, bridge, bridge over, bring together, bulk, bunch,
bunch together, bunch up, cabal, cardinal, cardinal number, cards,
cement, cement a union, centralize, chain, clap together, club,
club together, clubs, clump, cluster, collect, colligate,
collocate, combine, come together, compare, compile,
complex number, comprise, concatenate, confederate, conglobulate,
conglomerate, conjoin, conjugate, connect, consociate, conspire,
copulate, corral, couple, couple up, couplet, cover, craps,
cumulate, deck, defective number, deuce, diamonds, dig up, distich,
double, double harness, double-harness, double-team, doublet,
doubleton, draw together, dredge up, drive together, duad, duet,
dummy, duo, dyad, embrace, encompass, equipage, even number,
face cards, federalize, federate, finite number, flush,
four-in-hand, fraction, full house, gang, gang up, gather,
gather in, gather together, get in, get together, glue,
go in partners, go in partnership, group, hand, hearts,
hook up with, imaginary number, impair, include, infinity, integer,
irrational, irrational number, jack, join, join forces,
join fortunes with, join together, join up with, join with, joker,
juxtapose, king, knave, knot, lay together, league, left bower,
link, look-alikes, lump together, make up, marry, marshal, mass,
match, matching pair, mate, mates, merge, mixed number, mobilize,
muster, ordinal, organize, pack, pair off, partner, picture cards,
piece together, playing cards, polygonal number, prime number,
pure imaginary, put together, queen, raise, rake up, rally, randem,
rational, rational number, real, real number, rectangular number,
rig, roll into one, round, round number, round up, royal flush,
rubber, ruff, scrape together, serial number, set, set of two,
singleton, snake eyes, solder, spades, span, spike, spike team,
splice, stand together, stand up with, stick together, straight,
surd, take in, take up, tandem, tape, team, team up, team up with,
team with, the two, three-up, throw in with, tie, tie in with,
tie up with, transcendental number, transfinite number, trey,
trick, trump, turnout, twain, twin, twins, two, twosome, unicorn,
unify, unionize, unite, unite with, wed, weld, whip in,
whole number, yoke
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